Seven Days
by kawaiisuzu
Summary: When eldest daughter Sophie Hatter and mysterious dashing stranger happen to meet, only his promise of a week of help at her hat shop can keep them together.Seven days to understand you, Seven days to love you, and Seven days to make you mine. [Complete]
1. Prologue: Fateful Encounter

**Disclaimer: **No, I really don't own Howl's Moving Castle. I'd love to have Howl locked in my closet and Markyl standing next to my huge collection of stuffed animals that still crowd my room…but reality's a pain.

**Suzu: **Here is a short, sweet story to tantalize the heart and soul. I noticed there aren't many fan fictions that put Howl and Sophie in an AU setting/character circumstance, so I made one. It was actually inspired by a Masami Tsuda story, 'the Tiger and the Chameleon'.

It's not really an alternate universe that much, but the circumstances are definitely a little different. Sophie is an ordinary (semi-) girl in her late teens, out to find her fortune in life and make her hat shop a success in a town (Market Chipping) that knows her only for her reputation as the eldest daughter of three, and therefore bad luck and a failure. Her peers won't readily consort with her, and Sophie's convinced she's plain in the first place.

Enter a mysterious young man in his early twenties. Sophie does him a favor unwittingly, and the man (Howl, who's actually a terribly powerful and elusive wizard in the land of Ingary), seeing her own troubles, decides to help Sophie's shop a little bit.

He makes a bargain to help her run the shop for a week, thus our title, 'Seven Days'.

Enjoy.

* * *

.

**Seven Days**

**Prologue **

**-In Which There Is Fateful Encounter-**

.

* * *

Ever since birth, Sophie Hatter had been destined for something that was quite out of her reach to change—her future, her success, they were measured only by the folklore and general understanding that surrounded the country of Ingary. Actually, one could argue whether it was Sophie's birth that had decided the whole matter of her well-being. Instead, it was probably the birth of her younger sisters that led the way to spell disaster for poor Sophie.

Her father owned a modest hat shop in a dowdy but still fairly interesting town called Market Chipping. Unlike the capital, Kingsbury, this town might be overlooked by some foreign tourists, but overall, Market Chipping could boast several things.

While normally, a view of the mountainsides and hills that were the Wastes wasn't much to declare, the people of Market Chipping were righteously self important knowing that they were one of the few who saw the great and terrible magician Howl's Moving Castle. That was quite a sight, when the great looming hulk could be seen through the misty white clouds, clanking away down the rolling pastures of the lonesome Waste.

Horrible Howl was known far and wide to be a mysterious and intriguing figure. It was said that he ate beautiful girls' hearts, and most people half believed it, although they fancied themselves never to meet Howl on a normal day anyhow. Wizards and witches and such weren't supposed to roam just on any days, but this was Ingary, and people still had to keep a watch out for such things.

Sophie Hatter, however, had her own life to worry about. It wasn't that she was doomed…no, nothing so horribly doomful or otherwise exciting like a curse or a dangerous quest. Instead, she was destined to live a life that was moderately and relatively un-superb. When her mother died, leaving Sophie and her sister Lettie with their kindly father, the two girls had been curious to soon have a stepmother come into the family when their father remarried with a nice lady named Honey. A third child came along, and she was named Martha. It was Martha's fault, in the end, that Sophie should be destined as she was. Sophie would never very much succeed in life, while Lettie would fare only a little better than her elder sister, leaving Martha, as the rightful third child, to be the one who would seek her fortune one day to splendid results.

Sophie was used to all that by the time she had been in petty school a few years. Being the most studious, she'd read plenty of books and tales to tell her she had not the same chance in life as the other girls in her school. Usually, parents in Ingary stopped on their second child, but if that method did not work, they promptly had a fourth. Being the eldest of four is so much better than being the eldest of three.

Alas, the three girls' father passed away soon after Martha started school, and Fanny had not remarried since. The future looked bleak for poor Sophie, but the eighteen year old girl plugged on with her life as cheerfully as she could, without expecting too much from it in return.

She was quite deft with the needle, and had taken to spending more and more hours in her father's shop since her 16th birthday. She felt it her duty to her father as the eldest to keep the Hatter shop alive.

Lettie, however, being strong-willed as she was, soon lost interest in the hat shop, and had declared to be put into an apprenticeship where she could seek as much fortune, and more, she promised those who would listen, as Martha. Martha had tired of the shop too, and wanted to get away from her mother as soon as possible.

Honey had put Lettie with the famous bakery in town, Cesari's, and Martha with a nice old witch who would teach her what she would need to know as the third child to seek her fortune one day. However, Martha and Lettie, both being so strong willed, had argued so that, in the end, Honey gave up and let them go seek whatever profession they wanted, as long as it was respectable, of course. Martha ended up at Cesari's because, although she had wanted to be far from her mother, she had not totally been able to let herself leave home quite so far as another town. Lettie had gone to the old witch, Mrs. Fairfax, and asked politely and in her charming Lettie way for an apprenticeship. She was not denied.

Sophie had stayed in the shop, sewing the seams and cutting out material for extra lace. She was quite deft with the needle, and one could see that the hats she did were charming beyond what a little hat shop in a little town should usually produce. However, when her stepmother Honey spent more and more time away from the shop as well, business declined, as the usual gossips, who were friends with Honey, came less.

It wasn't that the hats weren't satisfactory—far from it, in fact. Poor Sophie had become even more skilled in the business without the extra help from her stepmother. Soon, seeing the business the hat shop was not getting, Honey told Sophie she was going away for a while to Kingsbury, supposedly to find a new location where they could start fresh, making hats there or starting a new profession altogether.

While Honey was gone from town, custom declined even more. The hired help at the shop quit one by one, and soon, Sophie was left quite alone in the now dreary little hat shop. Honey had not been heard of in three months, and Sophie was the sole person still keeping the hat shop in business, if it could be called business.

Not many came to shop nowadays. Occasionally, Martha would come in to cheer Sophie up with a fine cream cake from Cesari's, but that grew rarer as the days went by and Cesari's grew increasingly popular, leaving Martha less time to visit.

Sophie had sworn to herself that she would keep the shop running, no matter what. It became harder and harder to do, however, when girls that used to attend grammar school with Sophie caught her on the streets buying groceries or behind the counter sewing would come up to Sophie and sneer at her. It was the especially prissy type, who were either the only daughters of woodcutters or just had a good omen determined at their birth. Their favorite subject to bring up with Sophie was always how she was the eldest of three…and how 'dear, poor Sophie' would probably never get out of the hat shop in order to seek her fortune—which would result in disaster, anyhow.

By and by, Sophie grew more and more reserved. She was rather practical and shy to begin with, so the extra hours in the shop by herself and the occasions when her peers would tease her were only added tortures to her nature. Her life settled into the routine of doing the shopping each morning, opening the hat store, sewing more hats or gazing at the passerby when they didn't come in, and trying to ignore the peevish comments and gossips that still crowded outside the door, talking just loud enough so Sophie could hear their nasty, 'whispered' comments.

It was on one of these days, a rather sunny, clear morning, that are story begins. And fateful encounters, which often take place in Ingary as often as not, just happened to drop in on Sophie Hatter, eldest daughter of three.

.

.

.

The sun was well into the sky by the time Sophie got out of the shop that morning. The house behind the shop led to the courtyard, which led to the door of the shop—and that was the route Sophie took to get out of the store's front door and down the busy streets of Market Chipping in time to buy groceries each day. She hadn't much money, now that the hats weren't selling very well, but it didn't take a lot to feed just herself nowadays.

Sophie brushed ginger hair out of her face as she walked up to the produce stands. Maybe she'd by some lettuce so she could make a sandwich today at lunch. Helping herself to the open crates, she picked out a smaller plant under the watchful eye of the shopkeeper. The morning air was fresh and carried wisps of smells from baking bread, boxes of soap, sweat from working hands, and whatever else the people of Market Chipping were up to that morning.

"How much?" Sophie's voice was rarely used these days, but it always had a certain soft lilt to it that made shopkeepers regard her warmly.

"Oh…about a two-pence, miss." The man brushed his great brown moustache as he accepted the money and smiled at Sophie before turning the other way to another customer.

Sophie dropped her purchase in the basket and hurried on. She still needed to buy bread, and Sophie could have gone to the plain bread bakery that was down the lane, but she felt like doing something a little more than usual today—maybe it was because she was tired of the monotonous drawl of days and weeks, rolled into an endless ball full of hollowness.

It occurred to her that she hadn't had one of Cesari's cakes in a while. Maybe she would buy herself a small one, and take it home to finish between breakfast, lunch, and supper.

With measured steps, careful not to get stepped on by the large crowd in front of Cesari's, she approached. Martha would be glad to see her. However, before she had the chance to traverse the large crowd idling in the front of the shop, three young ladies dressed in fine costumes with full skirts and trains stood in front of Sophie. The bright colors of their dresses made Sophie wince inwardly at the gray drabness of her own dress.

"Well, well, well…good day, Sophie."

Lissy, the silversmith's second daughter, turned her dainty mouth upwards at the ends when catching Sophie's silence at her remark.

Melissa, behind her, the girl with an obnoxious upturned nose, had clearly decided that, by bullying Sophie some, she would gain the favor of Lissy, who was by far prettier and smarter (one had to admit) than Melissa. Gwen, the third one, crouched behind Lissy, her lank hair worn down, although it was an interesting shade of blue-black.

Mel smiled at Sophie. "Sophie Hatter, I did not know you left the hat shop at all these days." Gwen cracked a beaver-toothed smile.

Sophie ignored her, her mind desperately searching for an escape from the three worst people she should have run into right now.

Lissy tittered quietly with Mel before turning back to Sophie. "Have you heard the latest gossip, dear Sophie?" Sophie could see they were trying to string her on.

"No. What is it, then?" She spoke softly, but deliberately.

"Come now, take a guess."

Sophie racked her head for clues. They clearly wouldn't leave her alone until she'd thought of something satisfactory. The crowded streets and people pushing and shoving into her space upset her terribly. Maybe she was spending too much time in the hat shop. Sophie tugged her shawl closer to her, and sighed softly as she answered.

"I …don't know…"

This caused Mel to crow at the top of her lungs. "Of course you don't know! You're the simpleton—eldest of three. I should have known you wouldn't know about Georgina Rice." Lissy frowned at Mel's outburst, but flashed a sugar coated smile at Sophie.

"Well, dearie Sophie, everyone knows that just two days ago, Georgina dear was accosted by a wizard."

"-Howl" added Mel, flipping her locks over to one side of her round face.

Lissy nodded slowly. "They say she's had her heart stolen. Poor Georgina, she's locked herself in her room, you know. I went to see her." Lissy added with great importance. "The dear wouldn't accept any visitors, but I've heard her ranting about how handsome and sweet he was to her."

Lissy laughed lightly again, and Sophie felt a pang of sympathy for Georgina, although that girl had always been a little too bubble-headed for her own good. Sophie tried to sidestep the group of girls politely now, but Mel spoke up after her.

"Sophie Hatter, you'd better watch out for the roaming wizards nowadays. Maybe, if Howl stole Georgina's heart, he'll come after you next! Lord knows wizards have taste!"

Sophie ignored the comment best she could, walking away at a brisk pace as she turned from Cesari's to walk along the alleyway walls as to not bump into people. Why those girls were always so interested in gossip never seemed to reach Sophie's head in clear understanding. Georgina probably didn't even meet a wizard. It was probably just a regular fellow, one of those tavern men who drank ten gallons a day and sought women everywhere…the kind Honey had warned her, Lettie, and Martha about. Georgina was just the type to get heartbroken by such a brute.

Caught up in her own thoughts and rush to get home to open shop (it was fairly late already), Sophie barely noticed when someone brushed by her in a hurry and dodged into the dark alley that, Sophie knew, led to a dead end. She caught a whiff of hyacinths as the figure walked/ran by. The smell was really quite subtle and sophisticated, too.

Sophie, curious that it got the best of her prudent nature, peered into the alley to try and find the person going at posthaste speed. A flicker of movement in the darker lane caught her eye, and she walked up to the opening of two walls, shopping basket clutched tightly in one hand.

She caught her breath in a rush when a pair of strikingly blue eyes blinked back at her. The figure stepped forward from leaning against the wall, enough so that she could see a vague outline of him. Sophie had the urge to run away… in case the strange young man was dangerous, you know, but, even in the poor lighting, she could see he was such a dashing specimen that Sophie couldn't bring herself to move from his mesmerizing, blue-eyed gaze.

The man brought a finger to his lips. Sophie gulped, and turned away from him hastily when the figure smiled at her and leaned back against the wall, as if hiding from something. Even after she turned her face away, that image of glassy, bright blue eyes still dazzled her a bit. Sophie's heart began pounding in her chest, and she clutched her hand against her fluttering heart as she turned back to the bustling street way.

"You there! Miss!"

Sophie flinched noticeably when a gruff voice shocked her senses. She turned to find a pompously dressed sergeant and his crew marching up to her. Their marching, rhythmic step on the cobblestones of Market Chipping was loud and the passerby parted a little to give way. Sophie's heart raced even faster when the bearded sergeant asked her a question in his loud, booming voice.

"Have you seen an overdressed young fellow in a blue and silver suit that matches his eyes rush by here?"

Sophie immediately thought to the man in the alley, and his clear blue eyes. She hadn't seen what he was wearing, but Sophie had remembered the finger he'd put to his lips to signify silence. And the way he'd smiled to reassure her.

Her own voice small and wispy in comparison to the sergeants, she replied slowly, "I…I think he might have gone that way." Fingers tingling a little, Sophie felt almost not herself as she daringly pointed towards the big crowd at Cesari's and lied to the officer. "Towards that crowd of people, sir."

The sergeant didn't seem to doubt her word. Sophie almost felt inclined to tell the man that the soldiers were far too naive and quite bad at their jobs these days, but thought better of it. The mentioned sergeant barked a command at the people behind him, and the group marched back up the cobblestones. The crowd on the street filled in again as people went back to doing what they were doing earlier on.

Sophie stood there, frozen in place by what had just happened, wringing her hands dramatically. '_It's okay, Sophie…he won't come back here and question you, nor arrest you when he finds out you lied to him… ah! Sophie, he will definitely __**not**__ find out you lied to him… all to save that man in the alley too… oh dear…_" Sophie had taken to speaking subconsciously to herself in the past few months. Not that one could blame her that much. Having nothing but hats for company for a great deal of time does make one rather lonely, whether they would admit it or not.

For the second time, she barely noticed when a figure came up behind her and put a warm hand on her shoulder. Sophie flinched underneath the firm, reassuring pressure.

"_Ha, ha. No need to be afraid…" _

Sophie really did jump a mile this time. The soothing voice behind her seemed to chuckle lightly every time she grew shocked. Brain racing, Sophie turned around to face whoever was at her back.

She first caught sight of the scalloped, trimmed sleeves of the arm attached to the hand on her shoulder. The silver filigree and silky blue fabric put to shame anything the other people in the square were wearing at the moment, and Sophie felt positively bare wearing her plain gray dress. It wasn't even May Day yet, for heaven's sake.

Her eyes trailed upward into the smiling face of a young man that looked about twenty. His fair, golden hair fell loosely to brush his shoulders. Sure enough, striking blue orbs twinkled with a hint of mischief in a sophisticated face, so finely sculpted that Sophie's face betrayed her in a despairingly scarlet blush. What's more, the man grinned at her embarrassment, too, a full smile that held dazzling white teeth. Sophie had a feeling the king and prince of Ingary would kill for the charm in that smile. It quite nearly bowled her over.

"Ah…" Sophie's mouth felt dry at the sheer close proximity of the clearly advanced man. As if sensing her discomfort, he removed his hand from her shoulder. Sophie felt a sudden pang of loss, but scolded herself for being as weak as to swoon like any little schoolgirl.

When silence pervaded the space between the two, the suave voice the man possessed spoke up again. Sophie felt herself melting again, much to her own disapproval.

"You really saved me back there. I was in a lot of trouble with those men." He smiled down at her, and Sophie felt as if she knew how a seedling would near die when the force of a noon sun shone down with unmatched force.

Sophie nodded, looking down at her feet. Since she couldn't string any coherent words together at the moment, she had to resort to drastic measures such as sign language.

The young man only laughed lightly again, causing silken strands of hair to fall into his eyes. "Don't be scared, little mouse. I'm only trying to escort you to where you're going." He paused, and looked around the square at the crowds of people that rushed by. "So, where to?"

Sophie's shoulders shook a little, eyes averted to not look at the figure beside her. Normally, not looking at someone, trying to not hear them…willing those to remain anonymous to her did the job. However, everything about this man demanded attention. His voice… his appearance…and were those earbobs peaking from the golden fan of his hair? The smell of the hyacinth flower traveled up her nose and made Sophie quite unnerved. She took a deep breath, but before she could make herself release it slowly, it came out in one, big, quivering rush.

"_It's really alright_!"

Sophie stood there, shocked stiff at her outburst, shoulders hunched over as a cringed at what might have been a rebuke from the princely figure next to me. Taking a raspy breath, she let the words out in short syllables as her face burned with what she knew was shame.

"I mean… You…don't…have…to," she explained in a small voice. "I'll be okay by myself…"

Letting her clenched fists slowly unfurl, Sophie reminded herself of her duty at the hat shop. Yes…she would walk home from here, and it would take less than five minutes. The last five minutes of her little escapade from the dull monotony of her eldest-daughter life. She willed herself to be composed, and gain the sensibleness that was her greatest companion since childhood.

The sophisticated gentleman, seemingly determined to accost her, only smiled, although Sophie detected traces of sympathy in that dazzling grin. It made her face burn in shame even more intensely.

In the months that she'd been teased, nothing seemed to compare to these few minutes (was it even 60 seconds?) spent with _him_.

"I…"

It came out sounding like a squeak.

"I think we ought to set out, then. It's just around the corner and down that street…"

The next sentence came out better, and Sophie congratulated herself a little, feeling more confident. The young man brushed aside flaxen hair and peered down the cobbled sidewalk.

"All right then, if I must escort a lady, let me do it properly." With that declaration made, he linked a finely sleeved arm with Sophie's and marched them straight down the street.

The next moments seemed to pass like a blur to poor Sophie. The sun beat down upon the busy street, and Sophie would usually have felt lost among the loud sounds and clattering footsteps in the walkways. However, with the man's arm around her own, she suddenly felt light…floating above all the other swarming heads. It was just her and her escort beside her, who was taking sure, confident steps out into the world, occasionally flashing a white smile at the people who passed. Her heart picked up its thudding only when they came up to the front of the shop to see a group of girls already there, milling about in the front and laughing, peering inside in jostling manners.

Sophie knew they were looking for her.

Lissy wasn't in the group, but Mel was. She took one look at the dashing specimen beside Sophie and balked. Sophie's senses twitched uncomfortably. Fortunately, Mel seemed to size up the situation, and promptly decided to pick up her skirts and walk down the street posthaste towards the healer to have her eyes checked.

It was not everyday you saw such a gorgeous one with Sophie Hatter. The others twittered, milling around a second more before dispersing…some heading in the direction of Melanie, others returning to whatever business they had left unattended before.

The blonde man, who seemed basically oblivious to the hostile disbelief of the girls, glanced at Sophie questionably.

Sophie's head was spinning uncontrollably with thoughts at this point…she was faced with the dilemma of telling him about the girls, about the hat shop; about her own fate…or denying him all that and letting them remain strangers. It was undeniably the safer route, since he would probably look at her in contempt and leave if he ever found out about her standing in the family.

But if she didn't… those clear blue eyes seemed to know everything already…peering through her with that inquisitive twinkle. Sophie's throat felt dry.

Before she knew it, she had the words choked out.

"I-I am the eldest of three."

He seemed to continue to peer at her in that tranquil way, while Sophie froze on the spot for disgrace and humiliation. Finally, his words broke through her silence.

"…So?"

It wasn't what she'd expected. But the innocent way in which it was said offered her hope, and yet, at the same time, a big milestone in her gullet seemed to roll out of its place, and out of the hole, guilt upon guilt rushed out…sadness at being denied so much in life just because she had two sisters after her.

She wanted to tell him everything.

A desperate half-sob started the journey in which the rest of the words tumbled out. She told him about her sisters…about their apprenticeships…the switch. Sophie blubbered about what Honey had said before she left for Kingsbury…leaving her by herself to take care of her father's shop…she cried about the girls who stopped by everyday just to tease her outside her window. It seemed everything she'd been bottling up came crashing down upon this poor, handsome near-stranger.

Everything just sort of came rushing out…

At the end of it all, Sophie felt like a complete fool.

"I'm"-hic-"sorry… I must've imposed myself too much…" she gasped out.

She dared not look up at him, but the young man's tone seemed to warm and soothe her aching self as he leaned down towards her.

Sophie stood there, not daring to breathe. Her heart thudded warmly against her chest, and she felt rising warmth exude from her cheeks.

"_Let me help…"_

**It all started out so innocently.**

Sophie felt his hand brush a strand of ginger hair from her face.

"_I'll make you a bargain…_

_Since you helped me this morning_"

**I never knew it would lead so far. **

"_I'll lend you a hand with your father's hat shop…" _

His soft breath tingled by her ear.

"—_for seven days_"

**Fate extends its hand in strange ways…**

"_Wait for me when you open shop…tomorrow... "_

Sophie's breath caught mid-beat of her heart.

"…_on the first day_."

**But I think he did things even more strangely.**

* * *

**Suzu- so…did you like it…or not? 'Day 1' will be up as soon as I can write it. I'm really looking for feedback, currently. **

**Read and Review, please. **

**Ja ne,**

**Suzu **


	2. Day One: Unknown

**Disclaimer: I don't own HMC. **

**Suzu: Hey, everyone. Sorry for the wait, but I'm juggling two running stories and a life here…I know, sounds terrible, but one tries to manage. **

**Woohoo, get ready for Day 1! **

* * *

.

**Seven Days**

**Day 1 **

**-In Which a Great Deal is Unknown-**

.

* * *

_"Wait for me when you open shop tomorrow…_

…_on the first day…"_

His words floated by like a dream. After an uneventful night of rest, Sophie didn't quite know if yesterday's happenings were real.

The extremely good-looking young man had tucked a loose piece of her ginger hair behind her ear, causing Sophie to blush again that morning. His words rang in her ear incessantly, just like his appearance kept coming to her mind's eye. The funny thing was, she had turned around for a brief moment to open the door to the shop and perhaps invite him in. However, when she had turned around again, the spot on the cobblestones where he'd been standing held nothing but air. He had vanished from her life…as quickly as he'd appeared.

Sophie bit her lip as she thought about it all. She cut the dry loaf of bread in front of her expertly and deftly, slicing it into thin pieces for her breakfast. No one could just walk that fast…or, she didn't think so. Yesterday, Sophie had been in such a state of delirium that it was likely he was just a figment of her hallucination.

'_Wait for me…' _

A rosy blush tinted Sophie's cheeks as the color bloomed upwards in a splendid rush of scarlet. It would have been pretty to look at on Sophie's normally pale skin (some would call it near-alabaster, although Sophie thought it dreadfully white and ghost-like). Just the thought of his words made nervous energy course through her limbs, and, no matter how hard she tried, it seemed that Sophie could not get the wild hope that leapt inside her chest to be stifled.

Would she wait?

That was a good question…

The shop should be opened in exactly eight minutes, no more. Besides, to open later would have been no deficit to custom, as the number of buyers was a career low recently. It was more of a mental challenge. Would loyal, habitual Sophie give in to the whispered words of a stranger on the street, or would she follow the custom of her everyday life, fulfilling her duty as eldest daughter and keeper of the hat shop?

Unfortunately, Sophie had the strange sensation that she was just one step short from following the man from yesterday to the ends of the earth, if he asked her to.

One second later, Sophie was rebuking herself for ever having such a thought. Why…that made her no more sensible than Georgina Rice, who, indeed, had probably fallen prey to a disloyal and irresponsible figure, causing Gina to be the gossip along the lesser cultured parts of Market Chipping for a while. '_Oh dear'_, thought Sophie. In fact, it might have been that Georgina had fallen for exactly the same good looks she'd so blushed and sighed over yesterday.

"Who are you?" Sophie sighed wistfully to the empty expanse of shop, although it was rather neatly cluttered with hats, bobbin, and lace.

She tucked away the remains of her breakfast, folding the corner of the white cloth her dry slice of bread had been on. Bits of crumbs were swiftly deposited of in the trash, and the rest of the loaf saved in the pantry of the other room for another, later meal.

Walking from the kitchen, Sophie sat at the counter in the main hat shop area. Crossing over to the window, she pulled the blinds and felt a rush of longing as the golden, morning sunlight rushed through. The words printed on the window display case gleamed dully at her. 'RETTAH', it read to Sophie. To any outside, on the street, the painted letters would read properly: 'HATTER'. She glanced, on edge, at the clock on the mantelpiece. Only five more minutes left until she would open shop…

She peered outside, at the odd assortment of petticoats, jerkins that walked by on the streets. The sky was a piercing blue, and the day seemed fresh and new from the dowdy, dark hat shop interior. Sophie cast her eyes out on the streets in dismay as each passing figure proved at once to be…or not to be…whom she was waiting for.

Just when poor Sophie was about to crash internally from the anxiety she'd built up since the moment she'd found herself alone in front of her shop yesterday morn, a beacon of golden hair suddenly appeared across the street. Sophie's eye lit up, and her heart nearly stopped from half fright, half excitement. She didn't dare to recognize who it might have been…yet, she didn't dare avert her eyes, for fear he'd vanish out of existence, as he had yesterday.

**I know you… **

Sophie glanced at the clock. One minute until opening time… She caught her breath in a rush, ducking out of the display window's view so she could rush back to the counter and appear nonchalant.

Her legs failed her.

She stood there, fixed to the spot on the rug of the floor. Staring stupidly at the display glass out to the street on the other side, she watched mesmerized as the figure strode closer and closer, crossing the street, walking up to the shop.

He wore a striking forest green coat over a smooth white shirt or impeccable material. From the black pants down to the polished shoes winking at her under the bright sunlight, Sophie gazed through the glass and gilded letters reading 'RETTAH'.

In what felt like a heartbeat and a century at the same time, the young man came up to the window glass and spotted Sophie looking at him from inside. He smiled winningly from the other side, and Sophie quite had the urge to declare she felt faint…except for the fact that there was no one to declare it to, certainly not to the dashing specimen on the other side. His blue eyes, looking a touch green also from the bright light, sparkled as he waved slightly and knocked on the glass playfully. His mouth (bless those lips, thought Sophie) formed words as he motioned towards the door.

This seemed to snap Sophie awake. The door…oh, blast it…opening time… Sophie rushed to the door, nearly tripping on her skirts. By the time she reached the doorknob and managed to get the wooden barrier to open, the man was on the other side; smiling and smiling…out of, Sophie thought, sheer amusement of her antics.

Still, she thought her the sensation of her heart melting quite strange.

Reminding herself to act properly, she smoothed her hair down as she stepped back to let him in.

"H-Hello…" she stammered breathlessly.

"And a good day to you too," the man laughed, crossing the doorway and looking around with a twinkle in his eyes. "I take it this is your father's shop that you've been so dutifully looking over."

"I'm glad y-you've come." Sophie smiled bashfully, leading him to the counter so he could settle down.

The wickedly intelligent young man seemed to smirk at this too. "Did you think I wouldn't come?" he probed. "I always keep my word, thank you…" he looked thoughtful for a second, before adding. "It's just that I don't give it often…of course, I was simply returning the favor. Besides-" he looked down at her again. "I couldn't leave a pretty lady like you in distress."

Sophie blushed again, and suddenly found the wooden grains of the counter the most interesting thing she'd seen in ages.

"Doesn't the shop open at eight thirty?"

His question made a switch flicker on in Sophie's head. She rose up, flustered, and ran to the door to unlock it, only to remember that she'd already done so in letting the man in. Shamefaced, Sophie went to the other window and pulled open the blinds for that one as well, signifying the shop was officially open. She quite forgot to ask how he knew when the shop was to open daily.

The man was sitting behind the counter, looking a little out of place next to a bunch of old bobbins and pins. Sophie apologized for her clumsiness, at which the sophisticated young man laughed away, saying there was no need, and that she was a wonderful daughter for being so diligent.

Sophie didn't know if she should bloom or wither under his compliment…somehow, she was tired of always being so prone to schedules and such.

The next few minutes settled in comfortably, in which the stranger asked Sophie her name. She answered faithfully, and told him a bit about the shop and its customs. He was a wonderful listener, she found out, and was good at making her feel a bit more special…make her life seem a little more exciting…and let her forget about her infliction of being the eldest…for a little while, at least. After the proper talk about the weather had been done, they lapsed into momentary silence, with Sophie feeling edgy and hearing her heart pound rather loudly.

When the usual crowd of girls started flocking at the front of the hat shop, Sophie grew worried about the regular things of her life again. They milled about, and gathered like a group of snowy pigeons, each in their individual finery…although Sophie thought them more like crows on the inside, though she'd never say that aloud.

The young man brushed some golden strands of hair out of his eyes and seemed to perk up. "Look, Sophie. Customers…we should advertise our motives!" he announced grandly and cheerfully. Sophie nearly lost heart to dissuade him.

Sophie wrung her hands in dismay. But before she could protest, the man had already walked up to the display window and tapped it to reach the neighborhood girls on the other side. Sophie watched, horrified, as Lissy turned her head to spot him first.

Lissy's soft hazel eyes widened to an incredible extent as soon as she saw him. She scanned up and down, before registering that the man was…yes…_inside_ the Hatter shop. Quickly, she battered her eyelashes as she glanced at him again, more demurely this time. The girls around her twittered enviously as the attractive man gave Lissy a handsome smile. Sophie felt a pang of conscience.

Amazing everyone at the scene, Lissy opened the door to the Hatter shop and stepped her two daintily slippered feet inside. Sophie balked at the sight, but the golden haired man merely smiled winningly again. Lissy blushed a beautiful rose shade this time, and cast her eyes downward. Sophie was appalled… she had never seen Lissy back down from a man before. Mostly, they were the ones who blushed in her presence, not the other way around!

Lissy ignored Sophie, and her attention seemed solely on the man in front of her. She followed his every word, nodding dazedly and looking like a fish that had too much sun. Sophie felt a little paranoid, and a little spiteful.

"So…I trust you _do_ understand that hats are remarkably in style nowadays." The man finished, his blue eyes, showing no spark of green at this moment, said to Lissy.

She nodded, transfixed.

Sophie decided that this stranger was remarkably persuasive towards potential buyers.

"And I'm sure that a young woman such as yourself would keep up with the latest fashion tips and statements," he continued in his imploringly suave voice.

Lissy just gaped, her eyes still caught at his face.

"So you'll buy one?"

Lissy closed her mouth, opened it, closed it again, before nodding slowly.

The man laughed lightly, before walking to a nearby rack and selecting the closest one, a plumed, cream silk hat that Sophie knew was of good material and therefore higher expense. Lissy followed his movements with her eyes, simply captivated.

He brought it before her, presenting it dramatically. "I believe this one suits your skin, my dear. It looks positively ravishing. I only believe _you'll _enhance its beauty even more so."

Lissy flushed again, eyes looking glassy, Sophie noted.

The man smiled a little worriedly, put a hand on her shoulder, and looked into Lissy's face. "Are you okay, Miss?" he asked in his superbly gallant voice.

Lissy gasped out that she was fine.

Since Lissy looked a little out of condition to walk to the pay counter and out the door herself, the young man Sophie now considered an excellent business partner helped her and held her hand. As soon as Lissy stepped out of the shop, new hat in hand, a remarkable thing happened. All the young girls who'd been holding their breaths at the door let it out in one great rush and proceeded to shove each other to get through the door to the shop first.

The young man flashed a grin at them all, and in an instant, they were under the same state as Lissy, who hung by the door looking wistfully lovesick.

Hat after hat got sold, each of them in the higher range of prices. Sophie collected the money and delivered change, although the poor girls seemed to not register the fact that such a thing existed. They all looked besotted and in love with the golden haired, blue eyed man, who looked extremely fine in his forest green suit as he did the sales promotion.

It was at this that Sophie decided that the man was a gift from the above to her father's shop, sent down and given remarkable charisma to help gain customers. Indeed, she swore she had never sold that many hats in that short of a time.

.

.

.

The girls hung about all day, and the charming man wrung out of each the promise to tell their neighbors, their neighbors' children, and their neighbors' dogs, even, about the hat shop.

Near the end of the day, Sophie saw that it was time to close shop. She informed the young man of this, and he promptly announced this to all the girls milling and crowding about. They sighed and cried out wretchedly at this, but soon, Sophie and him had them marching out of the shop in two straight lines.

One poor girl burst out into tears upon leaving through the door, and the man had to look noble and reassure her before she would leave, on the premise that when she would come to visit, he would be there. Sophie nearly snorted in an uncultured fashion when she heard that one.

After they were all gone, Sophie held her breath as she counted that day's earnings…they had sold more than twenty hats, and all of them top notch and high in cost, too.

The man walked over. He looked a little tired from all the girls, Sophie thought, but otherwise, he was his same striking self. His blue eyes smiled along with his mouth as he turned to face Sophie.

"So, Sophie, did it go well?"

Sophie blushed warmly, but regained her composure. She nodded enthusiastically. "You've been so much help…" Sophie smiled at him, sincerity touching her heart. "Thank you," she added.

This seemed to make an expression akin to wonder bloom on his face for a second, before he laughed pleasantly, quite taking Sophie's breath away at the richness of his tenor voice.

She giggled softly, too, before saying, "You've done more than enough to pay me back…really. You don't have to come back tomorrow."

His face grew serious, although it was still good-humored underneath. "Sophie…" he said, and it made her blush the way her name sounded on his lips. "Don't ever think I go back on my word to you. I said seven days, right? Well then, a week it will be, no less."

A burst of relief flood Sophie, and she realized she'd been holding her breath. Sophie flushed, looked down, and felt genuinely relieved.

"Thank you…" she whispered.

It then occurred to Sophie Hatter that she barely knew anything about the man…after deeper thought, she found that she didn't know anything at all. His name…age…profession…nothing had been revealed to her during their talks. Sophie had told him much about herself, but he was still a mystery to her… the same since their first talk yesterday, the same as when two pairs of blue eyes had stared back at her in the alley way.

Sophie looked up to meet those striking eyes again. He really was quite perfect…with the smooth skin and features, deep, clear eyes, a golden-flaxen, almost, mane of hair that fell loosely to his shoulders. He was charming, seemingly sensitive, and seemed to know when she was troubled from the day they'd met, and he'd been walking her home. It made her feel inferior now, making eye contact with such an enigma.

He seemed to sense her anxiety now, and his brow creased. "Sophie, what's wrong?"

Sophie shook her head. "No…nothing…It's just that, I realized, I don't know much about you at all." She blushed, embarrassed. "It might be rude to ask, but…"

The young man laughed apologetically. "No, no…It's all my fault. I should have introduced myself properly!"

The man stood up, and Sophie looked up at him from her seat. His blue eyes seemed to bore into her as he continued.

The man brushed aside a strand of hair as he mused. "My name…well, I guess you can call me…" He seemed indecisive for a moment, before taking a deep breath and saying simply… "Howl."

Sophie nearly shot off her chair. "_Howl?_" she breathed, incredulous. "_Horrible Howl_?-" She knew enough about town gossip, and had lived for enough years at Market Chipping to know what they said about Horrible Howl.

The man seemed to grimace for a second before he laughed it off. "No…not _that_ Howl. My name is Howl Jenkins." Sophie looked at his glistening blue eyes and silky hair, listened to the warm chuckle, and believed him. "I'm really just a traveler passing through Market Chipping," he assured her, and Sophie calmed down.

"Oh…" she said, feeling stupid for overreacting. "Well, okay…um…Howl." She couldn't help but think about Georgina Rice and what had happened to her as she uttered that name. Still, this man was too nice…too appealing to be someone like Horrible Howl, whom she imagined was old and wicked, eating young girls' hearts in his ever moving castle.

Howl seemed to be in a rush now. He took a step towards the door with finality and smiled at Sophie again, making her cheeks heat up and heart beat faster.

"Well," Howl declared. "I really must be going. You should close shop and get some rest, too."

Sophie nodded, a little disheartened, already, one day with this intriguing man called Howl was ending. She had wanted to get to know him better, but had a strange sense that this man would always remain mysterious and unknown, even to one who desperately wanted to understand him.

Howl's hair fell into his eyes as he leaned over one more time and mock-saluted Sophie playfully. "I'll see you tomorrow, Sophie."

**That was day one with Howl Jenkins…**

She smiled at him softly, heart twinging.

He winked at her, before crossing the room and going to the door.

**There was such a great deal I didn't know about him…**

The little chime at the door 'dinged' as Howl walked out and closed the door behind him. Sophie sighed as she leaned back and thought about that day. Howl was a definite asset to the shop…and while what they'd earned so far wasn't quite so much that it could save her father's shop, Sophie was grateful…deep within her heart.

**Yet, I trusted him with everything.**

Sophie looked out the windows. Though the dusk was setting on, she thought she could make out Howl's figure, walking away. She tried to not lose sight of him.

Sophie blinked…

…and it seemed that the on setting night had swallowed him up.

* * *

**Suzu- Thank you to everyone who took the time to review last time. I appreciate it immensely. Review replies will be done, perhaps, in later chapters…or by the review reply feature has put in. **

**I'm really grateful to those that took the time to read, and I hope you liked it. **

**Day 2 will be up soon, I hope. I really leave it up to fate to determine when I update, but you know…reviews never fail to encourage… ;;. **

**Thanks for all your support, and I hope to get to know more of my readers! Don't be shy, leave a comment! I don't bite…uhh…I hope I don't bite. (Trust me; the thought never entered my head. XD) **

**Read and REVIEW**

**Ja ne, **

**Suzu**


	3. Day Two: Attraction

**Disclaimer- I don't own 'Howl's Moving Castle', and I 'betcha' I'm too young to try to buy it from someone who does…**

**Suzu- My...I updated so fast... Thanks to everyone who supports this story…we're still fairly early in the tale, but this was a short story to begin with. Things might tend to get a little more dramatic sometime soon, I hope. Meanwhile, keep your eyes open and alert…**

**I might be rushing things a tiny bit…but I have the seven days…and that's it. Originally, it was supposed to be seven chapters…but I'm not sure how I'll fit it all in. It might be eight now…**

**Enjoy…**

**Seven Days**

**Day 2**

**In Which There is Attraction**

"He was _gorgeous_."

Lissy sighed. No one could deny it…no one would _want_ to deny it. All her life, she'd been looking for her Prince Charming. She knew that she, as the talented and gifted second daughter of the second wealthiest man in town, would be destined for greatness.

At her birth, the midwife had been summoned and had interpreted the herbal signs and the stars as linked… together in harmony, thus emerging to form a prophesy that the child would be gifted with wholeness of spirit, unity of soul, complete beauty, and all she could wish for in her life. In her younger days, Lissy had pined away for the **perfect** man to meet her perfect fortune…only to be disappointed again and again as they failed to meet or exceed her expectations. They were mere dolls, bowing and scraping over her will, but they could never coax a blush or a delicate word out of her.

"Dashing"

"Superbly handsome"

"Charming"

"Noble"

The girls around her sighed one by one, exclaiming over the stranger in the shop helping Sophie Hatter. It was astonishing that a fine gentleman such as he would even lay a hand on the window glass…and it vexed the girls terribly that he had exchanged friendly words with the eldest daughter of the hat shop.

They continued to rant about his wonderful features.

"Sophisticated"

"Sensitive"

"A _great_ kisser."

This comment, from the daughter of the mayor's second cousin in town, surprised outbursts from the rest of the girls crowded in front of the Cesari shop cafe.

"Hey!"

"-What!"

"How do _you_ know?"

Mel burst out finally, "You…you _man-stealer_!"

After much bickering and intimidation of the girl, whose name was Patricia; they managed to coax the truth out of her. Pat whined…saying that they were just jealous, until finally she spilled.

"Okay…_fine_. So he didn't kiss me. Melissa…I'm not a _man-stealer_...! I'm just a compulsive liar." Pat smirked easily, her rosy lips tilting upwards and a little sideways.

"Well…bet you he _is_ a great kisser," the rest of the group assured each other.

"Suave, too… and intriguing…girls, if I faint, you simply _must_ catch me!" Mel declared, and the girls looked at each other uneasily; Mel was twice their weight.

Lissy closed her eyes, long lashes resting upon creamy skin. She listened to the words of those around her and smiled.

"He's…Perfect…" she whispered with finality.

………………………………………………..

The sun was high in the sky as puffy white clouds danced across the vast blueness of that day. Sophie Hatter, eldest daughter and thus in charge of her father's shop, rushed down the people-filled streets of Market Chipping, done with her grocery needs for the day.

Howl was standing at the doorway to the shop when Sophie came back from her morning shopping. Her eyes widened, and she blinked for a second at the man in front of her, dressed impeccably in a cream and gold suit. A light breeze blew by, rustling the locks of hair that fell neatly downwards and matched his suit perfectly. He looked a prince out of a fairytale…and she'd bet almost anything he looked better than the crown prince of Ingary as well.

Sophie rushed to the front door to open it for him. His blue eyes glittered like clear water on his smooth complexion. Sophie swallowed the rising anxiety and smiled at him, apologizing for making him wait.

Howl Jenkins leaned against the wall casually as Sophie fumbled with the lock. He laughed when she dropped the key twice, and offered to carry her grocery basket for her. Sophie blushed, and muttered a 'yes'.

"Sophie…how are you today?"

"Fine…thank you," Sophie paused for a second before his name came out of her lips. "…Howl."

A shadow seemed to pass over those clear blue orbs as he stared at her, but Sophie thought it her imagination the next moment as the front door suddenly flew open and Howl whisked her inside. '_Funny…_' thought Sophie. '_I wasn't leaning on it._'

She put down her things in the other room at the back, and returned to the main shop to find Howl standing near the counter at the back of the shop, unmoving.

"Howl? Uh…would you like to sit down?" Sophie asked worriedly. Did he change his mind about staying and helping her run the shop for the next few days?

"Sophie," he said. Though his voice was soft, there was a tone in it that made Sophie's body shiver with the deepness in it. Howl continued. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't call me by my name during store hours…you know, when there are customers."

Sophie, confused, took a step closer to ask why. As if sensing her slight distress, Howl lifted his head and met her gaze with his intensely blue ones. Sophie gasped inwardly.

"I'm sorry for worrying you." There was a tenderness and apologetic layer to his voice that made Sophie stop wondering and think about her rudeness to pry into his wishes. "It's just that the name might cause some gossip about who it's connected to," he explained.

Sophie nodded. She didn't want to cause Howl any distress. There was something about him…though. Something that was different. Howl Jenkins, no matter how charmingly he smiled at the women in the shop the other day, no matter how lightly he laughed, it seemed he was always more than he let on. It seemed there was always mystery around him, and no matter how far you reached out to touch him, he could and would always avoid any real contact with a flicker in his blue eyes and a smile on his face.

Sophie, like so many others, yearned to try and reach him. She wondered if, ever, behind the perfect image and manners…she would find someone who would have just as many fears, just as many hopes as she did for the future.

She really didn't know anything about him other than what he told her was his name. Even that seemed ethereally precious, and she promised him that she wouldn't utter it in the presence of others.

As Howl sat down and she attended to the blinds, Sophie thought about how Howl had entrusted her with his name…and no one else with it, not yet. All those strikingly beautiful girls in the neighborhood—none of them received the smile and warm gleam in his eye that seemed to be reserved for her. Sophie's chest grew warm at the thought, and she flushed a slight pink as she pulled up the blinds.

Letting the sun into the small shop, she turned back, silhouetted in the bright morning daylight, which cast an angelic glow on her slim figure. It made her ginger hair look a brilliant red-gold, her milky white skin sun-kissed and wholesome. Howl was right there, facing her from the opposite end of the room, smiling warmly from his seat.

There was an odd look in his face that Sophie fancied herself to have never seen there before. She blushed again, and grinned shyly before returning to the counter.

"_You're beautiful, Sophie." _

The words came from Howl's lips, and Sophie's face flushed a hot scarlet.

"Howl? I—I..." she smiled hesitantly. "Stop teasing…"

He simply smiled vaguely, eyes never leaving her face.

Sophie lowered her head, although her eyes couldn't be averted from his features. "Don't joke, Howl," she whispered. "What in the world were you saying…?"

In what seemed an age, Howl turned his face so he was staring out the windows. Sophie's eyes followed him.

His lips parted, and he said softly, shrugging, "Well, Sophie, it seemed to right thing to say just then."

Silence pervaded the hat shop. Sophie fiddled with a loose string on her dress. Howl seemed to stare endlessly at the warm flow or sunshine from the window glass, a serene look on his fine face.

The two lapsed the time away like that for a while. The girls that usually came sneering at Sophie didn't arrive that day, and Sophie wondered curiously what they were up to.

"So…what do you do for a living, Howl?" Sophie asked tentatively. She watched with a slow blooming curiosity as Howl blinked once, then opened his mouth, seemingly in contemplation of her simple question.

"I—" The words died from his lips. Sophie was about to ask what was wrong when the shop door opened and the bell dinged suddenly.

"Oh," she exclaimed. "A customer..."

It was a woman who looked about fifty. She had a kind face, wore elegant furs, and looked surprised to see the small enclosure of the shop. She scanned over Howl, then Sophie, and opened rouge-red lips to speak.

"Oh, hullo, dearies…" Sophie noted her Kingsbury accent. "I heard from a bunch of girls in town that this was the Hatter shop. It's supposed to sell the most darling little hats," the woman smiled.

Sophie stood up, offering to help the customer. "What are you looking for, Madam?" she asked politely. Howl watched the two with mild interest.

The woman said she was browsing, so Sophie helped her look through the shop and make a selection. The woman seemed uneasy at first, and then gradually settled down, although she opened her mouth at times as if to say something, but then decided against it. Sophie noticed it after a while. The woman finally settled on a violet one with a sheen sash and plumage that Sophie agreed suited her.

The woman handed Sophie the money at the check out, looking uneasy. She seemed about to turn around and leave, but then Howl spoke up before she could turn around.

"Madam, please. You look somehow unsatisfied. Is there something else on your mind?" Howl cocked an eyebrow, looking expectant and calm at the same time. The woman seemed to be shocked that Howl had said such, and Sophie looked with marvel upon him as well.

Finally, the Mrs. spoke. "I…uh" she started. "Well…I know a woman named Honey," she said uncomfortably.

That was enough. Sophie seemed startled, and felt reassuring pressure on her hand. She looked down to see Howl's hand over hers, pressing down firmly, offering her support wordlessly. She gulped, and then looked up with more determination at the woman who knew of her stepmother.

"Please, what do you know about my stepmother?" Sophie implored.

"Well…" the woman hesitated, then said, "Honey dear got engaged…to my brother, you see. He's a fine gentleman, I assure you," she added quickly, seeing Sophie's surprised reaction.

"This is the Hatter shop, I assume?" the woman continued. Sophie nodded dumbly, trying to absorb the information that Honey had gotten engaged to another fellow in Kingsbury. She didn't know if she should feel shocked, happy for her, miserable, mad about Honey not consulting her daughters…or feel indifferent.

"I guess you're Sophie." The lady said. Sophie only nodded again. "Honey told me about you…said you were very loyal and quite sensible. Your mother…she wishes to invite you and your sisters to the wedding in two months." The woman smiled graciously. "You will come, won't you? I believe you're a darling girl, and you must be happy for Honey, my dear. I haven't seen a happier couple in years."

Sophie nodded dumbly again. She felt Howl give her hand a squeeze.

"You'll get the invitation in the mail soon. I just came in person to tell you for myself. Your mother is worried about you, dear. But Sophie, now you will be able to keep the shop! Isn't that great news?"

Sophie's head spun wildly. So the shop was safe from bankruptcy? That was good news, she guessed. But recently, business had picked up…because…because of Howl. Would he leave her now that there was no risk of her keeping the shop alive now?

"My brother will be more than happy to keep this place running. I say, do you make these hats yourself, Sophie? They are simply adorable…elegant too. You have such talent with the needle! I run a dress shop in Kingsbury, you must come sometime, and we'll talk of designs together!" The woman smiled kindly, and Sophie felt more reassured, although her thoughts still spun towards Howl.

"Well, I simply must go! My carriage is waiting! Goodbye Sophie," she leaned down and embraced Sophie like an aunt. Sophie smelled the hint of lavender and lilac from her.

The woman rearranged her clothes and nodded at Howl kindly, who smiled back full charm. The woman warmed up to him immediately. She looked to Sophie with an approving eye, as if asking, '_Is he someone special?_'

Sophie only blushed warmly. After taking her leave once more, the woman left the hat shop.

Howl and Sophie were left in a comfortable silence.

"Well," Sophie laughed slowly. "I never expected _that_ was what Honey was delayed in Kingsbury for."

Howl turned to Sophie, and she realized his hand was still on hers. She blushed zealously.

"Well, Sophie, my dear…" Howl grinned. "Love works its hand in strange ways. We never really know when and where it'll strike next. Who it will work upon…what dilemma there'll be…" he mused.

Sophie smiled, and challenged his views, feeling more at ease with herself, and the way Howl's hand felt warm and firm on her own. "You make love sound like a game, Howl."

He raised his eyebrows at her comment. "Isn't it?" he said lightly.

Sophie paused. She'd always looked back on the fairy tales with an envious and also warm, contented mood. The girl always got her prince…and they lived happily ever after. The rivals always failed, and the love between hero and heroine prevailed. Was it all just a game…played out by the most unsuspecting characters? Perhaps the ones who got lucky always won.

She thought about herself…as the eldest of three, there was no way she'd be the luckiest, the most likely candidate for love. She looked up, and found herself staring longingly at Howl. He'd made her forget all that, even if it was just for a second. A warm feeling burst and bubbled inside of her when she felt his presence and it gave her immeasurable peace.

"Perhaps…perhaps life is a game." Sophie said softly. "A game I was destined to lose at."

**The words slipped out before I could stop them. **

"After all, I'm the eldest."

**I was speaking from the bitterest part of my heart. Without realizing it, all this time…I'd just been jealous. **

Howl seemed startled. "_Sophie_…" he whispered softly. "Don't think like that."

Sophie pulled away, disgusted with herself. "I'm sorry, Howl. I'm dumping all my troubles on you again. I don't know why, but it seems I'm always getting these emotional sessions at the end of the day…Martha and Lettie were always trying to cheer me up, too." she laughed half-heartedly.

Howl narrowed his eyes. He could tell she was trying to avoid the subject…that she was still afraid of what society thought of her.

"I mean…" Sophie rushed on. "Honey's getting married again. I should be happy. Father's shop will be okay. It won't-" Sophie chocked on the words. "It won't go out of business."

"You don't have to stay Howl…" she muttered finally, mumbling to the floor. "There's no need anymore. Thanks to you, I've pulled through the hardest part of the shop's history." She smiled wanly.

Howl peered out the shop, realizing it was nearing dark. He sighed, and then shifted so he could peer at Sophie's tilted head.

"Stop it, Sophie." He said.

_Where was the light that brought a smile across your face? _

She seemed to snap out of her trance-like mode. "Huh?" she offered. Howl could still see the shadow on her face. "Stop what?"

"Stop always asking me if I want to leave or not. I'll go when the time is ready...when I'm ready."

Sophie winced at the words.

"But it isn't now. I don't care if you're the eldest, Sophie. If you ask me, I would say you're more clear headed than a lot of other girls out there…woodcutter's daughters or not."

Sophie nodded into her sleeve.

Howl relaxed, and sank back into his chair. His blue eyes darkened for a moment, before he opened his mouth again.

"You asked me what I do for a living." He paused, before continuing. "Well, you could say I do several things. I travel a lot, for one."

Sophie lifted her head, and looked at Howl inquisitively. His golden hair fell into his eyes, and his face seemed shadowed. "And…?" she whispered.

"I offer my services when I'm needed…" he continued, if somewhat cautiously. "It's a trade… really." He finished.

Sophie laughed quietly. "There are a lot of trades out there." She commented.

Howl pretended to be insulted. "Are you mocking my explanation?" he asked in a tempered tone of voice.

Sophie smiled, just glad that Howl had trusted her enough to talk like this with her. Howl lost the fake falsetto and smiled back.

The hairs on Sophie's neck pricked expectantly as she read the look in his eyes. They were warm…deep…one could lose themselves in his gaze. She could almost fancy she saw herself in there. A sudden pang of embarrassment came to her, and her cheeks were ablaze once more.

Howl noticed something wrong when Sophie bent over and hid her face from him. "Sophie?" he asked worriedly. He put a hand to her chin, tilting her face up to meet him, their heads inches apart.

Sophie's thoughts blazed in a mish-mashed muddle. Her head swam as emotions ricocheted inside the expanse of her head, seemingly terribly empty as she stared at Howl's devastatingly handsome face so close to her own and lost all thoughts except for one.

Howl noticed the heat that came to Sophie. He smirked with a know-it-all grin at her antics, and asked her if she was quite alright.

Sophie grew quite angry inside when she realized Howl was being unfair… and promptly told him 'no', she was not alright.

Howl only smiled, and leaned in closer…tempting them both. Ecstasy… fear… anxiety…boundless happiness…contained in a single breath, lucid…elusive throughout the ages.

**Don't tell me I'm not good enough**

She realized she wanted to know him... that man

_Just close your eyes…_

**Or do you just want to keep your enigma identity?**

Sophie felt a splash of wind on her face, on her lips, on her cheeks. Her eyelids fluttered open again, and she didn't see him.

She recalled a distant bell chime from the door in her memories…or maybe that was just another reverie, called up from the distant memories of long before.

……………………………………………………

**Suzu- Hmm…I don't know why, but it seems that I just can't end the chapters at a satisfactory time. Howl, I believe, is really like that…elusive as the wind, hard to catch…forever yearning his freedom. **

**I realize writing shy a character like Sophie isn't my cup of tea, but I'll try my best.**

**This is still fairly early in Howl and Sophie's correspondence. I was torn between having it go further, or just leaving it hanging…**

The next chapter will portray 'Scandal' and Georgina Rice, back from her ravings for you-know-who. Lissy launches her attack too, I guess.

**It is quite challenging, writing HMC… and yes, I will definitely try to finish. **

**So, everyone, offer some support, s'il vous plâit? Drop off a comment, and shout outs are coming soon. Thank you again, so much, for all your support. **

**I updated fast, won't you do your part and... Read and REVIEW? **

**Until next time, **

**Suzu**


	4. Day Three: Scandal

**Disclaimer- Seriously, I don't own HMC. **

**Suzu- I should be updating my Inuyasha story, 'A Path Worth Retracing'…but I'm slacking. These chapters are faster paced, and this storyline is at a non-hurdle point. I'm slack-ing. Too bad, but I'll do my best to write in between school, violin, social life, and whatnot. **

**As to why I haven't updated as quickly, well, let's just say, that now… My stress week is over…and I have the warm feeling that I've passed with good results. Next year, I'll be representing the sophomore class as treasurer… and Biology genetics test…it was okay. **

**Oh, and to **_silversyren_**: Your email link didn't pop up in the private message! I guess ff. net blots that out. Also, the link to send you a private message is disabled on my computer. I can't get in contact with you, and I can't send you the chapter. If this chapter comes up on your computer, I hope you get to read it. Much thanks for your support! **

**Okay, now, my dear readers—**

**Onwards!**

**Seven Days**

**Day 3**

**In Which There Is Scandal**

_'Do you really love me /_

_underneath it all?'_

_Credited No Doubt _

………………………………………………………………………

Howl walked purposefully down the streets of Market Chipping that day-- towards the modest hat shop that was run by an equally modest young woman by the name of Sophie Hatter.

Not that Howl hadn't had his due of women: of class or of riches… family or figure…Howl had pretty much, more or less, tamed them all. It was when they came running back to him, when he felt a familiar twinge in his heart to leave his old life and start over somewhere else, free as he'd always longed to be…that was when the problem occurred. Every in his right mind had probably once had the thought to settle down with a beautiful wife… It was just that it didn't work out for some men. Was Howl another conspicuous example? Who knew? He was just too good at what he did…at slipping right through the fingers of those who tried to catch him.

He had made a promise to that girl who went by the name Sophie Hatter. For seven days, he'd help her with her shop. It was partly because of pity that he'd done it…partly out of his curiosity about the life of this subtle, timorous breed of female. The girls who usually flocked to him out of some animalistic magnetism and got almost near to a proper relationship were bold, brazen, with liveliness that flared out at you.

Sophie Hatter was different, if nothing else.

And Howl felt that, by helping her, he'd make up for all the hearts he'd broken before, for all the mistakes he'd made and never had the pluck to go back and fix.

She had already opened shop, he saw, when he looked through the clear glass panes at her docile figure crouched over the counter, attending to some bills and account work. Her hair fell in blonde-reddish fair wisps, and Sophie looked up nervously at the clock in room every so often. Howl warmed up to the idea that she might be thinking about him.

Truth was: Howl had been a little reluctant in returning today. He was late in the schedule. But after what had occurred yesterday, it wasn't as safe as it used to be to stay around Sophie Hatter. He had thought she wouldn't pry, that she would keep her distance, and he would keep his…but it hadn't turned out that way. Howl had never leaked that much honest information about himself in a month, much less a single span of time such as two evenings.

He continued ahead, unsure of his feelings…of everything that would happen within the course of the day.

The _third_ day…he whispered to himself. If anything went drastically wrong, it wasn't totally false to say that Howl was prepared to slither out of any mess he got himself into.

If you slither out hard enough, it was a disastrous end to find out you'd come right up behind and facing the same situation you'd just tried to avoid.

Howl had an ominous premonition, but he would walk into that hat shop with a sunny smile if it killed him.

Well…maybe he wasn't willing to put _that_ much on line. People had always told him he was a little selfish, anyway.

…………………………………………………….

"_Howl!_"

Sophie jumped up from her spot on the hard seat of the chair. She smiled at him the best she could, although inside, she was a jumbled mess of feelings and anxiety building on anxiety. She looked at the trim figure Howl cut, and the elegant way in which he held himself in the humble surroundings. Her thoughts lingered on yesterday…on what she thought to have been the wind mercilessly teasing her on the cheeks, on the lips.

What she had proclaimed in her mind as bitter fantasy centered on a certain someone seemed to nag her constantly, never resting from her mind. She couldn't repose herself, play it casual, and confine herself to more sensible thoughts.

"Good morning to you, too, Sophie." Howl dipped his head slightly, roguish smile on his face.

'_To tempt me wickedly_'…thought Sophie to herself in a prudent and rather (she thought to herself) far-sighted manner.

She quickly shook any thought of the previous day away. Howl was a mystery…she yearned to learn more about this enigma…felt herself getting sucked up in something she knew she had no control over. Beneath that perfect exterior…surely there was something she could connect with, something tangible, something more than the moonbeams she had tried to touch that evening the day before…

Howl, seeming perturbed by the troubled silence Sophie emanated, sat down next to her and scanned her face expectantly.

"Are you feeling well, Sophie?"

**I'm feeling strange…this feeling: I've never quite felt anything like it before. **

"I'm fine, don't worry about me." Sophie shrugged it off, eyes still downcast.

Howl's hand brushed her bangs away to feel her forehead. Sophie's head banged against an unseen force, her insides shaking. She felt warmth flood her cheeks. Howl finally said, slow and insightfully, "Does it have anything to do with me?"

**We're so close, but you're so far away.**

"It's nothing," Sophie lied.

He pressed her no further. Their first customer of the day came in, a gentleman in a dowdy suit pressed to buy a replacement for his damaged top hat. Howl stood up from the counter and walked over with a cheery grin to keep his promise to Sophie.

A week…thought Sophie. She fingered a loose tassel on her dress, and mourned the way she could never see past Howl's brilliant blue eyes to find out just what he was thinking.

………………………………………...

"_Darl-ing!" _the maid exclaimed.

Lissy smiled at the winning picture she formed in the mirror. "I know," she said. "He'll have to like it."

Her hands went up to stroke the cream silk hat she'd bought from the Hatter shop two days before. That gallant gentleman had presented it to her with a finesse that she knew had been shown to no other girl in the room that day. She smiled at the thought, and her thoughts lingered on the shape of his lips and the brush of his arm on hers when he'd said that she would only enhance the hat's beauty.

She tugged on her revealing neckline, lowering the bodice even more to tease the men (one man) with a (obvious, blaring) hint of an ample bosom. Lissy deftly curled a glossy, loose strand of hair onto her forehead, cocked a smile, and felt superbly defiant and ready.

"You look ravishing," the maid gushed next to her. "I haven't seen you spend this much time in front of the mirror since the Count of Montparnasse… is this one to your fancy, then, Miss?"

Lissy frowned, and thought of the Count who had charmed her with his diamonds, jewels, and gold. He was a short, mediocre in the looks department man with a hint of a receding hairline and a moustache that tickled her upper lip whenever he tried to advance on her and kiss Lissy with hilariously puckered lips. She had tired of him soon after he adamantly reinforced the marriage proposal and offered no more ruby stone tiaras until she wed.

_This_ one—with his finely chiseled features, enticing and mysterious air, not to mention the captivating blue eyed gaze and dazzling white smile…she could faint with delight at the prospect of having a few hundred women (the rough population estimate of unmarried—maybe even some married!--women in Market Chipping and beyond) seethe at her with jealousy at her wedding.

"Oh, he's a keeper, alright," Lissy pronounced coyly before taking one last look at herself reflected in the surface of the mirror. After that, she was off, in a fair rush, at that.

It was as if Lissy was floating, gently descending from cloud to cloud…making her starlit path to her true beloved, located, most probably, in the tacky Hatter shop near the center of town. No matter, though… She practically felt herself gliding in holy rapture, down the steps of her home, past the grassy lawn, through the gates…and soon to be reunited with dear Mr. Right.

It wasn't long before she had made her way to the market square, only to be spotted by none other than Gwen. That girl had sharp eyes, even if she had beaver teeth and the darkest countenance Lissy had ever seen. The dark haired girl shuffled over quickly, pushing past people in the square to reach Lissy. Although… now that Lissy thought about it, she (herself, of course) was kind of hard to miss, in her _beau-ti-ful_ pearl cream petticoats. Seeing Gwen's over-glossy, semi-oily bluish black hair, Lissy carefully stepped back a little, fearful of smears on her flounces.

"She's here!" Gwen shouted, hurling her head back into the throng of people.

Lissy peered dumbly at the girl's antics before seeing the crowd part for a definite bulge in its center. That was when she saw Mel hurling through, red in the face and new gray pleated bonnet (purchased also from the hatter shop) on head. She reminded Lissy of a young elephant.

"Lissy!" Mel crowed.

Lissy was about to give Mel a dainty 'I-can't-believe-I'm-your-friend' look when Mel just pummeled on with her story. Apparently, this was top gossip about to be revealed only to Market Chipping's top confidential know-it-all gossip keepers.

"She's out of her house." Mel blurted quickly, a little red in the face still.

Lissy raised an eyebrow, impatient to get back to the important task at hand—getting the love of her life to propose to her. Her current record for the time it took a man to fall to his knees within their acquaintance was two minutes of spin-the-bottle, an especially naughty game that all the young, blossoming girls of the neighborhood learned from their elder superiors. She only hoped it would be just as quick with the blonde young man in the Hatter shop.

"_She,_ meaning Georgina." Gwen added helpfully.

"What? Already?" Lissy asked, annoyance on the tip of her tongue. Georgina was top competition after some of the finer families. It wasn't that the girl was an heiress, like her, or had an iota of intelligence…it was just that some almighty being above had slipped and blessed Georgina with an empty shell inside and with a radiant figure on the outside.

"And Georgina Rice has the most appalling new hairdo as well. She declares that it's all to lure Horrible Howl to come back to her." Mel giggled/snorted.

Lissy was almost impressed. "So where is she now?" she said impatiently.

"Oh, looking for the wizard in all the pubs or taverns, I wager."

"So--?" Lissy pouted.

"So what?" said Gwen.

"Aren't you going to fetch her?" Lissy snapped.

"That girl is ruined. We shouldn't be seen around her," Mel argued.

"It's just for show," Lissy reminded Mel. "But I'm terribly curious. Go find her and talk. _I_ have business to attend to."

Mel eyed Lissy up and down, eyes settling on her fine pearl necklace, French lace trimmings, and on her cream silk bonnet. "Business?"

Lissy only smiled, and enjoyed the attention immensely when she walked away, leaving Gwen and Mel wondering.

……………………………………………………….

'_Howl…about last night…'_

Sophie thought about the words…simple, simple, simple…just four words and the conversation was started. She needed to know more about this person claiming his name was Howl Jenkins (she believed him, though), coming into the shop every day for this week and helping her out.

Most of all, she'd never in her life been so captivated by a person before. '_You liiiike him…_' a voice repeated over and over in her head. The sensible Sophie Hatter, however, knew that, no matter how much she liked this stranger, it could not develop into a strong relationship unless she knew more about him.

And there was that nagging sensation that told her he was keeping something secret from her.

She glanced over at Howl, immersed in conversation with a stately woman in furs. Finally, she reached over at a nearby rack and picked up, what Sophie knew to be, the most expensive hat in the shop. Howl immediately began heaping her with laudable comments on what a fine choice that was.

The woman seemed to want to hide her pleasure, but she soon enough squeezed one of Howl's cheeks playfully, in an adoring way. The older lady brought her hat in one hand and poor Howl in another hand over to the counter, and the hat was paid for, while Howl was deposited, with much reluctance, at that.

"Thank you, ma'am," Sophie called after the customer as the lady stepped outside and the door chime clinked.

Howl sat down again, although he sighed extravagantly as he did so. "That," he declared in his most solemn voice. "Was humiliating beyond description."

Sophie laughed at him lightly when he rubbed his abused cheek tenderly. It was a little red, but the skin seemed to mold itself back to its former flawlessness as Howl's hand passed over it.

Sophie gasped.

Howl's hand immediately came back down to rest on his lap. "What?" he asked, if a bit hurriedly.

"N-nothing…" Sophie muttered. She blushed, feeling his stare on her face. It was probably just a trick of her eyes. The mark had been barely distinguishable, anyways.

A sudden ring in the door being flung open distracted her. Sophie raised her eyes to see an impeccable figure dressed in downy petticoats and pearly layers. Her heart began to race at the sight of who she knew to be Lissy, one of the, if not the, prettiest girl in town. And certainly the most eligible…what with the fine dowry her father boasted.

"Lissy…" she whispered.

Howl seemed to catch up on the situation and overhear her soft whisper. He stood up quietly and smiled at the girl in the doorway. Lissy's hair was piled up on her head in an elaborate manner. Silky curls twisted into one another, and a fine gauze veil was drawn back to reveal the glossy shine that showed whether there was sun beating down on the tresses or not.

"My, you look fine today…Lissy." Howl commented gallantly.

Sophie remained quiet as she sensed the spark between the two people in the room. Lissy was practically glowing, and the expression on the girl's face was one of utter rapture, pure hunger, traced with feminine lust and a feverish, girlish crush.

And it made Lissy look good.

"Please…" Lissy's voice was breathy, irresistible.

Howl nodded to show he was listening. Sophie felt like her heart was cracking a little.

"Come with me, outside. I want to talk." Each of Lissy's sentences sounded like an enticing, erotic invite. Sophie glanced at Howl to see how he was taking it. Well, she could see no drool as of yet, and his face was surprisingly complacent and polite.

Howl glanced back at Sophie, and Sophie wiped the envious look from her face. She tried to smile for him, but it came out as a half-grimace. The tips of Howl's mouth tugged up a bit, and a measured look came to his face when he looked back at Lissy, who was breathless with anticipation by the doorway.

Nothing but a pleasing grin was on his handsome face as he walked towards Lissy and took her by the crook of her elbow. Sophie cringed, hearing each barely audible footstep on the floor as he went further away from her and closer to Lissy.

The other girl, on the other hand, had shining, over-bright eyes. Her bosom heaved a little amidst the cream silk and doublet. Sophie held her breath when Lissy leaned her perfect soft curls onto Howl's shoulder as the pair walked out.

Even she couldn't deny they made an irresistibly dreamy pair to look at, as if the angels themselves shone their light in the two's footsteps.

……………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………….

Lissy tucked her head closer to the crook of his neck. She could smell a faint mint wafting from him. It smelled clean, enticingly sweet, and it made her want this man even more.

He seemed to shift under her attentions. She smiled sweetly, lips a deep, full, rose. Oh…so he was a shy gentleman… Lissy moved her hand to clasp his.

The man moved again: seemingly uncomfortable, although Lissy couldn't imagine why. She realized that she did not know this kind gentleman's name yet. Lissy opened to her mouth to ask, but it seemed as if he had intercepted her thoughts long before. He drew a breath, loosened his arm from her grip, and looked at her through his blonde bangs.

Lissy gasped, and then thoroughly beamed at him. She didn't know why, but all she felt right now was ecstasy, pure and simple bliss at being able to share company with this man.

Finally, he spoke, and it was music to her ears.

"I know you have something to say to me, Lissy…"

Lissy smiled again, so happy was she to hear her name on his lips. And then she lost her thoughts in wonder…and then confusion. How did he know her name? Had she told him earlier? Lissy wracked her brains for the information. Every memory she had of this man was clouded by iridescent sparkles and happy shimmers in her mind. She couldn't remember much, except that every drifted in a harmonious, blissful cloud.

He turned his head to look at her, and Lissy drowned herself in the clear blue of his eyes.

Mmmm …definitely a keeper.

…………………………………..

Howl watched the girl in front of him tilt her head, close her eyes… he saw the way her eyelashes fluttered shut with complete trust. If only she knew who he was, what he was rumored to do. Young women were always too flighty: He knew out of experience, and had indeed toyed with that flightiness, but not so much that he'd give any lingering affection to match the love he received.

Some may call him heartless… but that was what Horrible Howl was all about…stealing women's hearts.

Lissy had tucked her hand at Howl's elbow, and was insistently pushing him forward. A kiss, was it? Howl's large blue eyes narrowed, and a strand of golden hair fell into his face. He smiled wryly, and gently cupped the girl's cheek.

………………………………..

Lissy's lips curved up sweetly, and she got ready to pucker. He was leaning closer… and the delicate pressure of his hand on her cheek made her mind reel with a feeling that she'd never had before.

_Kiss me_

_Go on_

His hand trailed away. Her heart fluttered at the same instance that she felt a breeze pass on her eyelids. Her lashes fluttered impatiently, and finally parted.

_Why didn't you?_

Her eyes stared at him in confusion and devotion now. Lissy couldn't imagine why he'd refused that chance she'd given him. A crushing weight settled in her chest, and she found it hard to swallow.

Lissy had never been refused before. At least, when it came to something as light and affectionate, as trusting and yet all too superficial, as a kiss…Lissy had always gotten what she wanted. After all, it was what the opposite gender she had been with wanted, too.

_So, why didn't you want me?_

It surprised her to find that her body was shaking, trembling a little in passionate confusion. She looked up to see his blue-green eyes hooded, masked, and unrecognizable to her.

He had never been anything more than a passing stranger, after all.

The stranger spoke.

"Sorry…"

Lissy's brain felt numb, but her hands grasped at the young man's clothes. She managed to whisper the word, "Why?" … and couldn't help but wonder who had said it afterward.

His hand was on her wrist, trying to settle her. Lissy realized she was having a mild fit. She gasped, choked on the effort, and squeezed her eyes shut when the world became hazy with unshed tears. Her realization hit in the tiny teardrops as they trailed down her rosy cheeks. Kill me…kiss me…that's what they all say, right? But once one becomes confronted with the real thing, which one would you pick?

"Lissy," his voice was deadpan calm. "I don't think you should be seeing me anymore. Don't come looking for me at the Hatter shop again."

_Is that it?_

_Is this it?_

She realized he was gone, passing with the errant breeze like no more than a speck in her excruciatingly long life.

…………………………………………….

…………………………………………...

Howl was unnaturally quiet as he came in through the front door. The bell dinged merrily, in contrast to his somber mood.

Sophie was behind the counter, and she smiled at him, although she couldn't help worrying inside. What had gone on between Howl and Lissy? Howl saw her, and weakly smiled back.

He plopped down into his normal, high backed chair next to her, and absently traced the lace pattern on one of the hats stacked on the table that Sophie had been working on in his absence.

"These are good," he said thoughtfully.

Sophie's spirits lifted a little at the compliment. "Thank you."

Howl sighed, and sank back into the chair. "It's just the truth. People don't tell enough of the truth nowadays, anyway. And even if you do…" he paused, and then continued. "It just gets you into trouble."

Sophie felt a prick of anxiety at his ominous words, but dismissed it quickly enough.

They sank into comfortable silence. Sophie noticed that Howl's features had eased up now, and he looked a little more content. She smiled, and a light blush crept up her face. She was instantly brought aware of the temperature in the shop.

Sophie fanned herself with her hand. "It sure is getting warmer," she remarked. "We might have to close early because of the heat wave."

"No objections…" Howl mumbled, looking melodramatically tired.

Sophie laughed. "We could always close up now, if you want. It's near closing time, anyway."

Howl sat up, and met her eyes squarely. Sophie stared dizzily into his face. Every chiseled feature screamed for attention at her. His gaze was warm and inviting, and Sophie could smell a clean scent that reminded her of a kind of plant that Honey liked to grow in the garden next to the paisley.

"Only if you let me spend a few more minutes with you," Howl grinned.

Sophie wondered at her own breathlessness before she righted herself and sat up. Smiling from ear to ear, she answered shyly, "If you don't have any other urgent business…"

She walked to the front door to put up the 'closed' sign, but stepped back when she saw a group rushing down the street towards the shop. She peered at them quizzically as the heat outside met her skin and a gusty breeze carried drifts of perfume, sewage, and sweat.

The advancing group included Mel, Gwen, and a very pretty girl with large green eyes that glittered fervently. Sophie would have sworn she knew who the person was, except that she knew she'd never seen that blaring mass of golden ringlets before. The girl had it piled on top of her hair like a mountain, and curly ends would topple over as she practically jogged over to the shop entrance, her large chest bouncing.

Sophie finally realized who this was, and she felt a pang of suspicion come to her. Why was Lissy not with them? Why had Georgina Rice joined with Mel and Gwen instead? And Sophie couldn't help but notice Georgina's new hairstyle.

She stepped inside before the girls could topple her over. Sophie watched as Gwen flew into the shop, skirts whirling, and oily hair flying. Mel and Georgina were somewhat behind.

"Is …he…here?" Gwen panted, showing her two large front teeth.

Sophie had no doubt in her mind who Gwen was talking about, and she felt a thumping at her chest at the thought of what they'd want with him.

"Y-Yes…" Sophie stuttered, a little taken aback.

Mel was the next one who pummeled into the door. Problem was: she had to squeeze herself through, what with her layered skirts and Georgina trying to squish in at the same time.

Georgina Rice, eyes shut with effort, squealed at Mel as they both tried to get in.

Sophie heard a chair fall in the back of the room.

She turned her head to see Howl, standing with his face unusually pale, eyes enormously wide. A strained look was on his face, and Sophie wanted to go comfort him, but everything was just happening so quickly.

**Tell me…**

Mel finally managed to get in, but she tripped on her purple petticoat and went toppling to the floor.

…**Why do you laugh with me?**

Sophie whirled back to look at the scene at the door. She looked at Mel on the ground, and Georgina readjusting her hair and the collapsed hill of golden locks.

"Uh—Mel, do you need help?" Sophie crouched down, ready to help.

**And what do you have…**

Georgina finally looked up from the ground and sighed exasperatingly at Gwen for just standing there, clapping her hands goofily.

…**That you need to keep a secret from me?**

"…"

Sophie looked at Georgina's face. Her emerald green eyes were huge against creamy skin, and her mouth was wide open in shock. She was staring at the back of the room.

Sophie followed her gaze.

**Who are you …**

"Howl?"

Georgina's voice echoed in the tiny room, as if magnified tenfold by the utter silence it was met with.

"HOWL!" Georgina shouted, her face flushing.

Sophie gaped dumbly.

"_It is you!_ Oh, I've looked everywhere, Howl," Georgina gushed prettily, her eyes lighting up and her smile blossoming.

Mixed colors…jumbled up reality…a wretched curse…an unexpected savior…and little gray lies.

Sophie felt something break, and she knew it was definitely her heart.

…**Underneath it all? **

End Day 3

…………………………………………………………….

**Suzu- Sorry for the wait, but it's finally up. Leave a review if you have any comments. Trust me, authors live off reviews. **

**And it wouldn't hurt my updating any faster, either. **

**Ja ne…**


	5. PREDay Four: Spinning Angle

**Disclaimer- I don't own HMC, and it seems that no one really thinks of witty comebacks anymore Whatevs…then. **

**Suzu- Hey everyone! Thanks for all your support. Finals are coming, and I'm busy. Summer is coming/here (depending on when I finish the rest of the chap). Whatever you guys do, I hope you'll have fun, 'kay? **

**This is a short chapter, and for a reason, too. So, try not to complain too much…'kay? I'm really not trying to slack. **

**Now, without further ado, enjoy the perquisite of day four. **

**Seven Days**

**Pre-Day 4 **

**In Which Life Spins at an Uncanny Angle**

**-**

**-**

**-**

_Concerning truths, half-truths, and lies…_

- _"It is a bad thing to be laid bare"_-

_Howell Jenkins, _

_Howl's Moving Castle, by Dianna Wynne Jones – _

………………………………………………...

……………………………………………………

**Concerning Last Time—**

**Mel was the next one who pummeled into the door. Problem was: she had to squeeze herself through, what with her layered skirts and Georgina trying to squish in at the same time. **

**Georgina Rice, eyes shut with effort, squealed at Mel as they both tried to get in. **

**Sophie heard a chair fall in the back of the room. **

**She turned her head to see Howl, standing with his face unusually pale, eyes enormously wide. A strained look was on his face, and Sophie wanted to go comfort him, but everything was just happening so quickly. **

**Mel finally managed to get in, but she tripped on her purple petticoat and went toppling to the floor. **

**Sophie whirled back to look at the scene at the door. She looked at Mel on the ground, and Georgina readjusting her hair and the collapsed hill of golden locks. **

"**Uh—Mel, do you need help?" Sophie crouched down, ready to help. **

**Georgina finally looked up from the ground and sighed exasperatingly at Gwen for just standing there, clapping her hands goofily. **

"…"

**Sophie looked at Georgina's face. Her emerald green eyes were huge against creamy skin, and her mouth was wide open in shock. She was staring at the back of the room. **

**Sophie followed her gaze. **

"**Howl?" **

**Georgina's voice echoed in the tiny room, as if magnified tenfold by the utter silence it was met with. **

"**HOWL!" Georgina shouted, her face flushing. **

**Sophie gaped dumbly. **

"**_It is you!_ Oh, I've looked everywhere, Howl," Georgina gushed prettily, her eyes lighting up and her smile blossoming. **

**Mixed colors…jumbled up reality…a wretched curse…an unexpected savior…and little gray lies. **

**Sophie felt something break, and she knew it was definitely her heart. **

… … …

The needle threaded through the seams without a sound.

_Prick_

_Prick_

_Pull_

It went on in a steady rhythm that two hands knew well. The sharp silver wove in and out.

_Prick _

_Prick_

_Pull _

Quiet, effortless murmurs filled her head, and she tried to block them out with her needlework.

_Prick _

_Prick _

_Pull _

The maiden sitting at the wooden desk recoiled.

_**Prick**_

A single, red droplet of color welled up on her finger, and she let herself stare, mildly surprised at the brilliant color against her pale skin.

She was such a paradox, that Sophie Hatter, being so drab on the outside. Who knew she had such crimson red blood on the inside…

_Flashback—_

"_HOWL!" _

_Sophie watched as he stood there, frozen in place, white settling in on his features, knuckles clutching the chair tightly. _

"_It is you! Oh, I've looked everywhere, Howl." _

_Was that Georgina? How dare she know his name... _

_Her heart thumped wildly, blood pounding in her ears, before she put a hand to her chest to hear, to feel, nothing at all. _

"_Howl, darling Howl…" Georgina smiled shyly, all coy maiden now. _

_Georgina's skirts rustled as she stepped daintily past the shocked Gwen and Mel, who was staring with eyes wide as saucers. Mel tried to gasp out a word, but Georgina cut her off by simply ignoring her. _

_Sophie felt immobile; she was looking at the ground and unable to lift her eyes lest they meet his. _

_She winced lightly as Georgina rather bluntly knocked her aside in her hurry to reach the other side of the room. _

"_Don't come closer." Howl's voice rang out flat and stern. _

_Georgina stopped, and the rustle of petticoats came to a halt. "--What?" _

"_Please…don't." _

'_Yes,' Sophie felt herself think. 'Just go away…far away'. _

"_Howl…" Georgina bit her rosy lip, confused. "It's okay, Howl, I forgive you for leaving me. I've found you again, and that's all that matters." The look in her eyes softened, and she looked extremely pretty and well bred. "Let's be together again, Howl." _

_Sophie felt Howl stiffen, absorbing her words. _

"_I can't. It can't happen." _

_Georgina was growing agitated. "Why not? Why NOT, Howl! Tell me, and I'll fix it?" She fingered her obnoxious, golden curls anxiously. "Is it the hair? Howl, is it this? Do you want me to cut it, Howl?" _

_Mel, from the side closest to the door, gaped even more. Everyone knew that Georgina had to be serious if she was willing to even touch her precious hair. _

"_It's not you..."_

_Sophie tried to focus all her attention on a small, dark, warm place inside of her. She wanted to curl into a ball, forget about what was going on outside. She didn't want to hear what Howl had to say next. _

_And yet, part of her had to hear it. _

"_Georgina, it's not you."_

_Sophie opened her eyes, and found that they were rimmed with wetness. She lifted her head. _

_Howl was looking at her. Gods, he was looking right at her. Sophie felt that empty space in her ache unbearably, begin to be filled with hot, searing liquid. _

_His mouth opened. _

_Sophie blessed that mouth. _

_He spoke. _

"_It's…" _

_Sophie felt darkness creep into the edges of her eyes. She struggled to keep listening, to keep looking at him. If she kept her eyes on him, Sophie was sure nothing would happen…nothing would steal him away. _

_Her world blacked out. _

_She didn't see him anymore. _

_But she heard him. _

"…_Me." _

_-------End Flashback_

Sophie Hatter stood up from her desk and grabbed another unfinished hat to work on. The sun was coming up, and she knew there would be customers.

……………………………………………

**Suzu- Wait for the official Day 4, guys! And thanks for all the support. Remember, this was supposed to be short. **


	6. Day Four: Doubt

**Disclaimer- (plucks at a flower) I own Howl, I don't own Howl, I own, I don't own, I own… I don't…own. Darn. Some of the dialogue is derived appropriately as well. **

**Suzu- Aah! I've been very busy this summer, so you'll have to forgive me for not updating in a while. Meanwhile, my other fic is lagging, too. It's been months… whoa… Credit to a friend for introducing me to that quote from Kingdom Hearts; I hear the game is quite good. **

**Martha's in this chapter, though it won't be some big, fantastical appearance. **

**Thank you for all your support and I hope you keep reading, enjoying, and commenting. We're basically on the second arc of this story, now. **

**NOTE: Sophie and all other characters are temporarily rented in this story to create the AU (Alternate Universe). The personality of each is blended to my own 'vision' (I know, weird-sounding, huh?) of what the character should be like---let's say a decent mix of book and movie, ne? **

**By the way, some of you guys really hit the nail in the head when you said the last chap was a 'filler'. It was, but it was a NECESSARY filler. Um…really, I needed to write the end of Day 3. Each day ends when night comes, right, so…uhh… I needed to knock Sophie out, lol. **

**Oops, did I say too much? Hugs and kisses to you all—really—for being incredibly witty in your comments, and incredibly patient for updates, as always. **

**Seven Days**

**Day 4**

**In Which there is Doubt**

"_The closer you get to the light, the larger your shadow becomes." _

_--Kingdom Hearts_

_

* * *

_

There was something wrong.

Yes.

Something definitely wrong with everything that had happened so far… Concerning Howl Jenkins; no, he was fake, concerning, concerning…

Howl.

Wizard Howl.

Horrible, heart-eating Wizard Howl.

Sophie stared at the clock on the mantelpiece as her chest tightened considerably. _8:45_, the clock read. The spot inside her felt warm, burning to the point of numbness. Why would the lecherous magician come to her shop, a modest hat store, and set her up for seven days, in order to eat her heart? He'd obviously ended up letting Georgina alone; although, he had pretty much broken her heart, just not eat it.

She knew she had to open the store. It was past opening time already, but her head spun in an uncanny way, and her stomach lurched at the thought that _he_ would be there, waiting to prey on her again.

Sophie Hatter had thought it over a million times by now. Yet, there was no mistake about it. That he was a wizard, a powerful one, too… the subtle little details about him that just didn't fit with his perfect, princely image up 'til then, those pieces fit together like a puzzle once you knew the truth. Sophie had been entranced, and had eagerly tried to figure out the enigmatic identity. She just hadn't guessed that the completed picture staring back at her would happen to be the figure of someone so feared in Ingary.

When he'd passed over his red cheek with a hand and uncovered it flawless as ever, the strange ability he had to just 'disappear' and leave when he wanted to, the splash of wind that evening had been his doing. Even when she was just about to guess, he'd covered it, Sophie realized. That day, Sophie had not unlocked the door yet, though a sudden gust and Howl's hand on the doorknob had swung the entryway to the shop open, whisking them both inside and diverting her attention from a certain subject.

Sophie's breathing grew ragged with fierce disappointment when she realized that, just last night, when she'd fainted…that had probably been his doing, too. He needed to leave, make his great escape, and he'd used his magic to put the people present to instant sleep. Georgina, Mel, Gwen…they had all awoken afterwards with no clue as to what had happened. The trio had left soon after, wondering about the whereabouts of Lissy, and whispering that they had better get home soon, or their parents would be furious.

The first day at the hat shop, and all those poor, victimized customers: the girls of the town. Had that unusual business success been magic, too? Or maybe that was just part of Horrible Howl's charm; he certainly did have a lot of it. Charm, that is, and magic, too.

Sophie winced again at the clock; _8:50_.

Duty engrained in her heart, she unlocked the door of the hat shop, and whisked the blinds open. Sunlight poured in, bright and cheerful. They made a searing contrast to Sophie's current mood, but the sunlight tingled not too unpleasantly when it touched her skin.

'_See? Everything's back to normal._'

She cringed at the word. Normal…that was all she'd ever wanted to be. Not the first-born, not the dumb, simpleton in the hat shop. The other girls probably didn't think her really stupid, but they were gossips about it just the same. She'd wanted to fit in somewhere, but it seemed like an impossible daydream.

The sunlight, it felt wonderful, and Sophie felt like a sheet of porous material, drinking in the clear bright morning through the large display windows.

'_What I really want… I want the warmth to seep inside, too._'

Sophie tucked a strand of ginger hair back under her ear. She closed her stormy eyes and bit her lip, trying to feel something other than remorse. But it was no good. The outside felt good, but the inside was as numb as ever.

She hung by the doorway, looking wistfully outside. There was no Howl, just people, people of all dress and height moving at their own pace in life. She felt frozen compared to them; unmoving, unable to move on.

'_At least you're safe from the risk of getting your heart eaten_,' Sophie patted the spot on her chest. '_No one would want to eat a broken heart anyway_,' she added.

A broken… heart.

Was this really the end of the promise he'd made with her, the pact that would have kept the two of them together for a week?

Sophie felt her frown settle back in place as a dead weight pushed down on her chest, making her stomach fall to depths that she never knew her own body possessed. Life was a mystery, but the frantic pounding in her head told her that her own self was a mystery as well.

Sophie fingered the lattice as she peered out into the market day morning. Howl was a mystery, too—but it really was too late to figure him out, to figure the past out.

It was Thursday, a very practical, often ignored day of the week. It beheld Friday, which brought an end to the week's work, and it came after Wednesday, which signified the hill of a half week. Sophie sighed again before steeling her nerves and donning a gray lace shawl.

Tripping past an odd assortment of spring bonnets, Sophie retrieved a dusty sign for the door, signifying the shopkeeper was taking leave for a break. Sophie hadn't left the hat shop during store hours in ages, and she felt a breath of fresh air would feel quite fine.

She opened the door with a light 'umph' and breathed in a gasp of sweet smelling air wafting over from the open air bakery down the street. The bell in the doorway 'dinged' merrily, and Sophie gulped down the urge to bite her lip and shed a tear. On the outside of the shop window, she stuck the sign securely on a ledge before hurrying down the cobblestones.

Occasionally, people jostled past. The street was wide, but carriages and carpetbaggers made road blocks that one had to weave through to get by. Sophie held her breath as she dove into the crowds, pulling her shawl around her. She felt it hard to breathe, like the air was being suffocated out of her by the tension and the havoc. Everyone seemed to be immersed in their own business, managing private affairs…

Knowing exactly what they wanted… If only Sophie knew, too.

She walked past the pretty lady with a pink sunhat.

She ran past the balding old man who sold fish imported from the seaside.

She hurried past the group of young men, flirting gaily with the eligible young women dressed in their second best gowns for Thursday.

Sophie stopped abruptly when she caught a familiar whiff of hyacinth. A thought flitted through her head.

_Howl_

She pulled at the gray lace draped around her tightened shoulders. It couldn't be. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, blocking out the assault on her main sense, before continuing on to her destination.

"Ah…!" Sophie stumbled as a slender figure jostled her out of her path. Falling onto the hard stone, she winced. Sophie looked up to see a very blonde man smiling at her. Her eyes narrowed in painful recognition of those features.

But it was only a look-alike. What made Sophie tremble was that she knew she wished it was the real thing.

"Miss! Are you okay?" He was decent looking, with kindly hazel eyes, but those eyes held no mesmeric quality for Sophie. "I'm really sorry about that."

Sophie looked down at her plain dress, at the cobblestones, but not at him. She picked herself up from the ground and dusted off the dirt. "I'm alright," she murmured.

"At least let me repay you or something," he announced. "I know! How about a meal at Cesari's? That bakery is famous for its cream pies, you know." He smiled.

"No, I already had breakfast." The lie slid smooth as silk through her parted lips, and Sophie stumbled past the stranger, clutching at her shawl in distress. She berated herself for her clumsiness, before shuffling quickly to the bakery's open doors.

Cesari's was less packed with people than Sophie had thought. Good… she moved past the loose threads of civilians talking here and there. Her sister should be on her shift at the counter right now.

She felt the emptiness of her stomach, but it felt like nothing compared to the hollow feeling that was above the midriff. Rushing up to the counter, Sophie was glad to see the familiar blonde head of Martha (Author's Note: Remember the prologue. This part is based off the book. Sophie has two sisters) bobbing slightly as she arranged the cookies.

Sophie was a step back from the large furnished counter when one of the employees noticed her. The other girl gave Sophie a simpering look before going to Martha and whispering something in her ear.

Martha shot up straight immediately. "Don't call my sister that!" she shouted at other girl at the counter. Sophie blushed at this, since several people turned their heads to see what was wrong. Martha got the message after getting several looks from the nearby waiters and waitresses. She hurried to the end of the counter, flinging open the wooden swing door and stepping out in pink Cesari costume to greet Sophie.

"Sophie!"

Sophie smiled weakly at her sister's energy. She was a slender, almost skinny girl with blonde waves of hair and pretty blue eyes. The spell Martha had first put on when she snuck away from Mrs. Fairfax's, disguised as Lettie, had worn off now, and Sophie was relieved to see that Martha looked like Martha again. Lettie's glossy chestnut curls had looked strange coupled with Martha's thinner face, and Sophie had scolded her younger sisters half heartedly. The similarities between Honey and Martha were striking, since they were mother and daughter.

"I'm glad you're well, Martha." Sophie reached out to put a hand on Martha's shoulder, wondering at how Martha ever managed to be in Lettie's guise for months.

The younger sister hugged Sophie fiercely, but then backed away and whispered urgently. "I heard rumors, Sophie."

Sophie's heart chilled. "What?"

Martha fiddled with the lacy apron on her uniform before saying softly, "This isn't the place to talk. Come with me."

The younger sister grabbed her older sibling's hand before leading her quickly from the buzzing hum of the main dining area into the employee's area of the bakery. They passed through steaming rooms of working men and slanted corridors, not to mention a large room filled with finished pastries. Only after wooden crates surrounded the two did Martha let go, and turn around to face Sophie with the most interesting stare.

"I heard about the shop."

Sophie clutched at her shawl again. "What about the shop?"

Martha narrowed her eyes in annoyance and put her hands on her hips. "Sophie, you were always too practical to play dumb with me and Lettie. Don't start now! I mean… I heard the shop was going to close down since it was out of business."

Sophie's expression, which she had tried so hard to keep normal and a little cheerful, sagged considerably. Gossip these days hid an interesting amount of truth in them.

"But then it started gathering customers again," Martha said suspiciously. "That's wonderful news, if I didn't hear about a certain miracle that tagged along with it."

Her stomach falling ten leagues, Sophie froze. How much did Martha know?

One of the crates surrounding the walls was suddenly moved aside as a head poked in. "Lettie…uh, no, Martha…the scones are ready," the man said good-naturedly.

"In a sec," Lettie flung back quickly over her shoulder.

The box was replaced, and Sophie felt a hush come over the dim lighted room again.

Martha looked ponderingly. "Do you want a cookie, Sophie? I'm fairly hungry, and you look like you haven't had anything decent in days."

Sophie declined, since her stomach had fallen to the pits of the earth already, no doubt. A considerable ache had come over her, talking to her sister like this. Martha's life was so orderly, if a little rambunctious at times. Martha was a spirited girl, and perfectly content, by the looks of it, too.

"They say you've been accosted," Martha said patiently, her eyebrow going up, asking Sophie if the statement was really true or not.

Sophie didn't deny it; she didn't know what to do, with the pounding in her head, and her voice caught in her throat.

"A really good looking man, too." Martha nodded her head to herself. "If only you could hear the crowds of girls coming in wearing hats from your shop and giggling over themselves…"

"He…" Sophie muttered, before pursing her lips.

"_He_ sounds suspiciously like your lover!" Martha declared triumphantly.

Sophie's face lit up. Although, at the same time, something inside her froze up, cold and unforgiving towards her younger sister. Sophie quickly tried to forgive and mend the grudge. Martha was only trying her best to settle Sophie's affairs, after all. She wasn't to be blamed.

"Who is he anyway, Sophie? What does he do? He sounds awfully sophisticated and stately from the stories, but I've never heard a single thing about his trade, or his background, even his name!" Martha rambled on. "Can I come visit you at the shop, Sophie? I'm a little busy for the next day or so, but I'll drop by to see my potential new brother in law."

"…No."

Martha's face twisted unprettily. "Awww… Sophie, why not?"

Martha failed to notice Sophie's shaking hands. Sophie's hair was blocking her eyes, and the elder sister seemed to be trying to block out the rest of the world.

"Uh, Sophie?" Martha hesitated when her sister didn't say anything else.

A second of pregnant silence hung in the air, before Sophie spoke. "Martha, please don't come visit. That man…his name…" Her voice shook tremulously, as if a sob were about to awaken. "His name is Howl."

"Howl!" Martha's eyes shot wide open, incredulous. "The wizard? Did you set him straight, Sophie? Because I heard, you know, rumors about him eating hearts and all… but you always did have a way with making people see their own faults and correcting them…I mean, just look at Lettie. And…uh, me, I guess."

"Martha… it's too late. He left." Sophie put a hand to her chest, hoping to hear an eager, rhythmic thump from a shattered heart. She couldn't feel anything but dead silence. Even Martha had stood back, looking worried.

"Sophie, did he… he didn't _steal your heart_, did he?"

The tears couldn't be held back then. It was the truth, plain faced and bare: spoken by someone who had no biased intention, who managed to guess. Sophie hiccupped as she buried her face in her hands.

She just felt … _so empty_.

"I'm a failure, aren't I…?"

Sophie stared numbly at her wet hands, her eyes feeling sore, and her whole body feeling dull. She really never knew that it would lead to this. She just wanted one week…one week to spend with someone who wasn't a constant reminder of her failure as the firstborn of three—the name she was branded with in Market Chipping social circles.

"Stop it."

Sophie looked up at Martha, whose face had gone blank and whose eyes seemed to hold no small amount of emotion. "Stop it right now, Sophie."

"…" Sophie looked down at her shoes, not sure of what to respond with.

"No one thinks of you that way, you know! It's just you! Lettie and I… we've always thought you were the greatest!" Martha's brow was crinkled, and she seemed ready to burst. "You've let those silly girls at school push you around! I don't get it, Sophie!" Martha gritted her teeth.

"That's not true. I mean, it was fate that I'm a mess-up." Sophie whispered. Inside, she was always afraid of those words. Martha wouldn't understand them…she was the third child.

_A stinging sensation_

"SOPHIE!" Martha yelled, as she withdrew her hand from smacking Sophie in the cheek.

_Faintly shocked… _

"Everything…you've denied yourself everything! You've forgotten everything, haven't you? Well, let me remind you… How we all sat together on those nights, talking about our futures. We all dreamed big, so stop it, Sophie…stop it," Martha ended softly.

"All you do is hide in that hat shop, convincing yourself. You know no one thinks of you that way…only those stupid girls."

"I just didn't want to be hurt," Sophie murmured into her clutched hands.

The room had never seemed darker. Sophie shivered as she wiped the trailing tear from her face. Martha's slender arms wrapped themselves around Sophie, and the younger sister tried to look stern and reprimanding.

"You're too nice, Sophie. You get hurt because you don't think everything over properly… always looking out for other people."

Poignant tension seems to always collapse on itself sooner or later. Martha let go; stepped back, and Sophie realized that she could still stand on her own. It was okay: really…she would go on.

Sophie sighed, exhaling some of the rigidity and tautness from a moment ago. It seemed the secret to keep on smiling was to just let it out all at once by crying…once in a while.

"Martha… some days, I can't believe you're my little sister."

"Mm. So, do you want a cookie? We are in a bakery, you know. You look awfully thin."

……………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………

Blue with white; cream with pink.

This was what she'd done all her life, really.

Sophie stared out at the fading light in the windows. It was getting dark, and closing hour was here. She'd sold a few hats that day, all with a light smile on her face. Surprisingly enough, it had been easy to bear.

Sophie seamed the last bonnet of the women's hat stack. She tucked the string in the inseam, and set down the needle.

**Move on…**

It seemed that was what the world was trying to tell her. Sophie smiled at her finished work. She selected a neat, prim hat with a wide brim and walked to the mirror with it.

**Recollect when you need to…**

Her reflection stared back at her. Large, grey eyes, pale skin, and reddish blonde hair. She tried the hat on, and grinned benignly at her own self in the mirror. The image smiled back, and Sophie felt slightly heartened by the smiling face.

**Hold your breath**

A slight whisper seemed to echo around the room. Sophie stopped, looking around doubtfully.

**And listen.**

_Light laughter_

_Bouncing along the walls_

Sophie seemed to know that voice. A sense of apprehensive déjà vu crept up her spine, and she trembled before placing the hat on the top of the dresser's polished wood.

The past was in the past, and Sophie steeled her nerves before walking to the open shop door. A gentle evening breeze blew in as she opened it and heard the gentle tinkle of the bell.

She couldn't help herself. Sophie stared longingly at the empty street, into the shadows, in hope that he was there.

**Because if you want him…**

Even if he was Wizard Howl, she could live with the thought that he had almost seemed like a decent man on the outside. He'd made her laugh, made her smile. Falling in love was a beautiful feeling, even if it ended somewhat tragically.

Move on…move on. Sophie kept the phrase in her head, drawing strength from it. Honey's wedding was coming up. Father's shop was doing well. Martha and Lettie, they both wished her the best. She could convince herself that she was complete.

Really, she wasn't a simpleton at all.

Letting the door shut softly, Sophie put in the key and turned the lock. It clicked reassuringly.

**He'll be there**

Sophie felt a strange sensation bloom in her heart. It spread upwards; she felt something tugging at her voice.

A little frightened, she put a hand to her throat. The niggling feeling wasn't unpleasant or chaotic; it was just a light, urging tickle.

**Promise. **

She opened her mouth—

Let it out.

Her own voice took on a shocking quality. The words flew off her tongue of their own accord…

…or of someone else's.

"_Please wait for me—_

—_on the Fifth Day." _

* * *

.

* * *

**Suzu- well, there it is. I even typed this at eleven at night…I'm that crazy. I hope you guys appreciate it. After all, I really appreciate all of you:))**

**I know…it was way too melodramatic. I felt I could choke on some parts, but this is how the chapter eventually turned out. I tried to get the update to you guys as soon as possible. **

**You people figured out it was Howl talking, using Sophie's voice at the end, right? I was going to have the chapter go on without Howl appearing, but it felt too sad, so I had to stick in a little there. **

**I'm still just an amateur author trying laboriously to write good fanfiction, so I hope you guys won't mind taking a little time and clicking the 'review' button over there. Comments are always, _truly_ appreciated. So READ and REVIEW, won't you? **

**Thank you, thank you. **

**I'm doing all I can, and I hope you guys will continue to support this fanfiction! **

**With best wishes, **

**Suzu**


	7. Day Five: Confessions

**Disclaimer- I don't own any real original finished works at this point, including HMC. I plan to finish high school, go to college…yada, yada…well, far way off if you think about it. **

**Suzu—Hey everyone! This is now Day 5 of the mini-series, 'Seven Days'. It's the seventh update, though…so people might be somewhat surprised it hasn't ended yet. Do you guys want it to end quickly, lol… am I boring anyone? I'm just joking, but please enjoy the next installment. **

**It's going to be a bumpy ride. I decided Sophie might need just a little self improvement and deal with 'girl world' for a bit, so here it is. It might be confusing. **

**Now, without further ado, let's begin. **

**Seven Days **

**Day 5**

**Which is full of Confessions**

"_People who need people are the luckiest people in the world." _

_-Barbara Streisand_

…

Sophie never expected the little bell by the door to ring a mere minute before she opened the hat shop on this day. The sky looked forlorn and drab, and barely a meager strand of sunshine fell through the glass windows. There was rarely a passerby outside. The dust and debris swirling off the side of the street gave off testimony of a mild gray gust. But Sophie felt stronger inside, tinged with confidence, but framed by anxiety.

A familiar figure stepped inside hurriedly, and Sophie narrowed her eyes to see not Howl, but a women's shape, barely recognizable in the rumpled, billowing black cape. Sophie sat forward in her chair and stared in fascination as the girl dropped the black mass off on the floor, only to be wearing a plain, fussy green frock underneath. Sophie, an expert hand at sewing dresses and fashioning other fabrications out of clothe, could tell that parts were stitched to tight to her frame, especially the midriff.

"I see he's not here."

That voice was so meek; dead and yet so yearning that it could almost be mistaken for a ghost, seeking something that death had so hurtfully taken away. But Sophie couldn't mistake the fleeting, pale shadow of an old confidence, arrogance, in fact.

Sophie Hatter was surprised when the girl lifted her downcast eyes. They were blearily red-rimmed and naturally deep-set, giving her all the more a hollow look. Her cheeks were ashen, while once glossy locks of hair clung insistently to one another, uncared for.

"Lissy… you…" Sophie bit her bottom lip as the words came out. She couldn't help it. This girl was not Lissy, the silversmith's youngest. She had not the right, spirited eyes, or the dimpled smile, not to mention her tone of voice and impeccable figure.

Lissy caught Sophie's uneasy glance at her torso. Her swollen eyes looked around fearfully, as if someone might be watching them, analyzing and critical. Looking out the large display windows and seeing no one, she gulped guiltily.

"No corset…"

Sophie bit the inside of her cheek to stop from commenting. Clearly the poor girl was spilling her heart out right inside the hat shop, the place she claimed to look down on, in front of the girl she claimed to detest, the eldest born.

Lissy muttered on. Sophie caught the words: "…went home… food… felt hungry…strange… I…ate too much." Lissy seemed to crumple like a paper doll in the middle of the room. The warm light from the back of the room contrasted with the gray morning outside, and in the melancholy backdrop, Sophie felt she could almost hug the girl in front of her, if only she didn't know who this was.

"The stupid maid…said the corset didn't fit," Lissy gasped out at last. It seemed to be one of the grossest things she could ever have said, in her own point of view. Sophie watched on as the declarations of guilt (if one could call them that) poured out, one by one.

"Stupid Melanie! Gwen, too…I never liked her anyways." Lissy gritted her teeth. "Now those two idiots are out worshipping that stupid airhead Georgina! I can't believe—!"

And at this Lissy went on with a string of words that should have turned any virtuous lady of the kingdom bright red. But Sophie knew Lissy wasn't a 'virtuous lady of kingdom'. Sophie wasn't either. No girl in her right mind was. All the female kind had to do was to remain prettily empty-looking and docile on the outside, a shell with nothing to vouch for; no selfish desires.

No girl could pull that off.

Instead, they schemed. They each dreamed and wrought tales of their own happily ever after, where a dashing knight or prince charming would somehow come and love them for who they were. Oh, not just physically radiant and benign, but love for a daring, bold, enticingly beautiful spirit. Those whose dreams hung on much too fragile threads had to be cut away first. And Sophie was glad…glad that she still dreamed for the future.

Honey had warned the three girls before. Women had quiet strength. They were reliable and attractive like the hardest glass. Lettie, Martha, and Sophie had listened on, each with their own degree of rapture.

What Sophie was witnessing currently was a young woman at the end of her rope; a woman who's schemes had failed for the first time, and didn't have enough practice in making up new ones. Lissy was sobbing quietly now, as well as seething quite loudly.

"I can't believe he didn't kiss me! Why…why, in heaven's name, _did he choose you instead of me?_" Lissy turned on Sophie, her red eyes puffy and accusing.

"I'm prettier than you, _and_ more charming! I had more men wooing after me than any other girl in this town!" she near-screamed.

Sophie should have felt offended, but all she felt was a dead weight in her stomach. This was someone who had snapped. She wouldn't listen to anyone other than her own private thoughts right now. If Lissy needed to scream and shout, Sophie would let her do it… because Sophie was that kind of woman, and Lissy was her own kind of woman, too. Sophie didn't believe either of them was better than the other. This was another tantrum, like so many others she'd dealt with on occasion: Martha, Lettie, or both, yelling, screaming: pulling out each other's hair.

Lissy suddenly fell onto the rug on the floor. Her fingers dug into the woven fibers, and a soft chuckle made its way out of her throat.

Sophie thought Lissy that lost her mind. The eldest Hatter girl's calm demeanor was pulled away. Sophie sat up from her chair and moved to help Lissy off the ground, when the other girl suddenly held a hand up to motion Sophie away.

"I see now… he left you, too. You weren't good enough, either." Lettie continued laughing under her breath. "That man's not here, and you're all alone." Sophie felt something within her churn with a new emotion.

Lissy flung her head back, and brushed back a messy lock of hair with her old condescension. Her eyes blazed, and Sophie felt the desperate malice in them. "He left you too, Sophie Hatter! Neither of us won in the end! I can't believe it! And I thought he was going to stay with you forever, too!" Lissy giggled shrilly.

Sophie felt her blood boil, and she sat back in her chair to restrain herself. Lissy seemed to find the subject altogether quite funny, and she continued.

"Did he get what he wanted, Miss Hatter?" she murmured in a low voice, and the silence of the room amplified it. "Did he take your virginity and leave?"

_Snap_

Sophie never knew what quite happened until she was pushing Lissy through the door of the shop. She must have marched from her seat to where Lissy was on the ground in ecstasy over her meager triumph, and pulled her by force to the exit.

"Leave," Sophie said.

"And when you come back, I hope you'll find someone to give you your own happy ending."

Lissy's eyes were wide in astonishment, and Sophie felt a burning sensation tingle in her chest and light a fuse that rushed upward in adrenaline.

"--Because you won't be stealing mine."

Their eyes were locked on each other's: motley green versus stormy gray.

Lissy closed her eyes for a second, and gray won. Sophie released a breath she'd been holding, and slackened her grip on Lissy's arm.

"You may be cold hearted, and I may hate you," Lissy quipped back smoothly.

"… But you're not a simpleton."

The two left it at that, and Lissy donned her black cloak before clacking down the cobblestones back home.

Sophie sat back at the desk in the back of the room, and felt the excitement of the previous moment die down. She leaned back in the chair and put an arm over her eyes as way of trying to block out all the images her brain was sending her of the last few moments.

'_He left you, too'_

The words assaulted her mind. It was a nagging feeling, and Sophie felt restless.

'_Did he take your virginity-?' _

Sophie moaned softly into the fabric of her shawl. She had taken it and wrapped it protectively around herself, like a barrier between her and the outer world. A hazy sort of warmth was building up in her cheeks, and Sophie willed herself not to think about it.

She was angry.

But there was also a deep, hidden longing of hers concealed in Lissy's words. If only…Sophie blushed crimson. If only Howl would steal her heart in a more…_direct_ sort of way. All he'd ever done was smile at her and make pleasant conversation. Perhaps, the only one who had been feeling romantic tension was her.

She lifted a hand to her lips. Her hand felt far too warm against her bottom lip for her own liking, and she hastily dropped her arm.

Sophie reprimanded herself at the immodesty of her thoughts. She knew she ached inside for a man's touch, for _his_, in fact. She wanted to have a tangible, physical part of the Wizard Howl, even if he did break her heart first, she wanted to keep a little memory of him tucked inside.

Sophie was suddenly struck with the thought of whether Howl dealt with other girls the same way he had with her. What had happened between him and Georgina? And all those other girls of the past, too… According to the history of Horrible Howl, he had broken plenty of girls' hearts. Sophie was sure each on had their own story to tell.

Sophie stood up from the desk, and gathered all the loose piles of material she had been working on previously to the corner of the desk. Pink ribbons, tassels, feathery plume… they could all wait. The hat shop could wait, for once.

Sophie nearly ran across the small room in a few steps, flinging the door open and putting up a busy sign in one fluid motion.

It was gusting outside; the temperature lower than usual due to ominous gray clouds that hung still and heavy in the sky. Sophie tugged her reliable shawl around her shoulders and set off to where she believed Georgina, Melanie, and Gwen were at the moment.

If she wasn't mistaken, the girls' favorite haunt was the parlor by Cesari's. The street corner after that, Sophie recalled with a blush, was where she'd met Howl. But the weather today was a bit off for outings, so Sophie made her way down avenues and side streets to Georgina's home, a large, white-washed building that was rounded by a flirtatious looking bright violet fence.

It really wasn't that far. Sophie knew the steps, because this was part of her old school route, and passing a crowd of girls at Georgina's doorstep was nothing new. She never bothered to stop at the house before, much less open that brightly painted gate and go inside.

The land lot was faded compared to several years ago. Sophie swung the outer gate open and stepped onto the lawn, which was modestly well-kept.

Walking up lane, and ascending the few crumbling stone steps, she knocked on the door sharply, giving it a few hard raps. It wasn't a good day to stay outside waiting, what with the gray weather and all.

Sophie could have sworn hearing muffled bumps and chatter from inside the house then, but soon, a pair of distinct, eager footsteps could be heard rushing to the front door. There was a long pause and the sounds of someone in a great rush tidying last minute things up. Sophie stepped back, rearranged her shawl, and waited.

The wooden door swung open swiftly, and Georgina's golden head poked out expectantly. She was dressed in a frilled lace dress with a ridiculous train, and her hair looked like it had been just brushed rigorously in the few seconds before. Sophie had no doubt about the sounds now. Sophie Hatter also read the look in Georgina's feverish eyes perfectly.

"Oh." The girl at the door made no attempt to hide her obvious disappointment. Georgina eyed Sophie up and down before stepping outside. "I thought you were someone else," she said dumbly.

Sophie shrugged. "It's okay. We need to talk." Sophie made a move to get inside the house when Georgina's hand nervously fluttered to block the way.

"Uuuh… Mel and Gwen are in there right now. I don't think they'd be happy to—" Mel said in agitation.

"Fine. Outside then." Sophie had no time to argue.

Georgina looked at Sophie wearily. "You're the eldest Hatter girl, right? I think we went to school together. And…" she faltered. "I could have sworn I saw _him_ at your shop recently, though it might have been a dream."

There was no need to say who exactly 'him' was.

"I'm glad you know. It saves me the time to explain. Look… what do you know about Howl?" Sophie probed impatiently.

Georgina seemed excitedly taken aback by these words. Her face flushed heatedly, and her eyes riveted from Sophie to the spot on the ground between them. "I'm not supposed to say…" she murmured in a fashion that belied the truth: '_I'm_ dying_ to tell someone._'

Sophie looked grim. "It's okay to tell me. I won't spread it around like all the other information that gets turned into worthless gossip."

"Oh, okay… then." Georgina regarded Sophie curiously, as if she couldn't believe Sophie had just uttered those words.

Georgina looked excited again. "You see…" she leaned closer to Sophie. "He was my beau a while ago. I was _so in love_ with him, because, you know…he was just so _perfect_."

Sophie nodded, feeling a little stab at her chest at the word 'beau'. (A/N: suitor)

"But then…he just …." Georgina looked mystified more than sad as she said this. "_Disappeared_."

"What? How come?" Sophie asked urgently. She needed to know this. She needed to know how Howl's past relations had gone when he had suddenly decided to end them.

"We always met at the same place… under the willow trees at the edge of town, when you take the south route from the mayor's house." Georgina tapped her chin delicately, as if trying to remember the details.

Sophie nodded again. That area was known for lovers and courting. Sophie had never really been there herself, and she had really never been ashamed of her lack of suitors before.

"And then, the last time I saw him…before I had that dream, you know…" said Georgina. "Well, I think he said that I should move on. I don't know what he meant exactly, but I went to that same spot for a month after, every day, and he was _never _there."

Sophie suddenly felt angry. So that was it? Howl did this to every girl, huh… He cut every love-struck young lady in town off as soon as she was madly in love with him. And all for what…so he could keep his wildly mysterious identity?

"Georgina," Sophie said seriously. "Did Howl ever kiss you?"

Georgina tapped her cheek and thought hard. Sophie knew that, normally, girls were expected to blush and look away when this question was asked in public, but this was in private, and both females knew how much this answer put at stake.

"No."

Sophie was expecting it.

"In fact… the most he ever did was kiss my cheek once, and hold onto my hand… and tell me that I was…uhh, what word did he use? '_Cutely Innocent'_…whatever that means," Georgina confessed.

Sophie felt a little numb in her head. Howl was such a player. She felt her hopes sinking deeper and deeper as despair crowded out her other thoughts. It seemed as if Howl Jenkins wasn't even quite human.

Sophie thought back to the looks he had given her, to the intense stares they had shared…rarely; it was true, but still…

She had really believed in him then.

"Georgina, I have one last question." Sophie said softly.

Georgina looked anxious. "Okay, then. You'd better hurry, it's getting a little late, and I have to prepare for tea."

Sophie told Georgina not to worry; the question was a straightforward one. Georgina nodded and listened attentively.

Sophie took a deep breath. "When did he tell you his name was Howl?"

Georgina's eyes seemed to light up in reminiscence, and then die down as if it were a painful memory.

"Um…I'd never asked before. But… at our last meeting by the willow trees, he said…he said he was sorry that he hadn't left me with anything at the end of our relationship. I asked him what he meant, but he just smiled that smile that makes my head swim."

Sophie couldn't help but agree. Georgina continued.

"Then he confessed. He said his name was _Howl_. I was…shocked at first, but… and I asked him if he was _the_ Howl, but all he did was smile!" Georgina gasped out in a quick rush of phrases.

"After that, I don't remember much," Georgina admitted. "He never denied he was Howl, but when I thought about it a little, it made perfect sense. I mean, I'm usually told I'm not too bright, but I felt, in my heart…that he _was _Wizard Howl."

Georgina's big doe eyes looked at Sophie, and the two girls seemed to share a fleeting moment of understanding. "Do you understand?" Georgina breathed into the silence.

Sophie only looked down; it hurt too much to answer.

"I have to go now." Sophie said finally. She looked at Georgina unflinchingly, and said, "I hope to not talk about this in the future." Sophie added. The Hatter girl then noticed a crack in the pink draperies of the upper left window of the house.

Georgina looked up, too, and flushed, embarrassed, as she realized the same thing Sophie had.

"And tell Melanie and Gwen to go and talk some sense into Lissy," Sophie said impatiently. "I know you two have been eavesdropping the whole time," Sophie called to the upstairs front window, where the draperies fluttered at her boldness.

Sophie felt nothing but pity for these girls, trapped by their own delusions. If only they would stop flocking together like crows and take action towards the betterment of their own selves! Now Sophie understood why they had needed to pick on her all those past years; it was just a fallacy to make themselves feel better by putting another down; an easy way out of the harshness of the world.

She wanted nothing more to do with them.

And that's why she turned on her heels and practically ran back to the hat shop.

……………………………………………………

The sky was turning a tad darker of a shade than the day's usual grayness. Sophie looked at the clock wearily. It was closing time, but she didn't have any energy left, or any attention to spare, for that now seemingly meaningless task.

The day's events swam in her head, and Sophie cringed whenever a particularly painful piece of history resurfaced.

Absently, she smoothed a piece of velvet material in front of her. Upon arriving back here, she'd rearranged the hats into the appropriate seasons for each. The unfinished bonnets she was currently working on all lay in a row at her desk.

She stared at them, the expression on her face bleak and remote.

There was a purple one, gauzed in lavender and mysterious.

The next hat was a cheerful yellow; friendship. Sophie liked it a lot.

The bonnet immediately after the yellow one was promisingly pink and rosy; appropriate for any young maiden in the throes of love: the beginnings of tender passion.

Sophie clutched the piece of velvet in her hand as she looked at the hat closest to her, to which the piece of material belonged to. It was a deep, crimson red. Mature, lusty _love_; impossible to comprehend, and lavishly decorated by tassels, ribbons, sparkling gem fragments.

Sophie's ears picked up the faint ticking sounds of the clock in the deathly quite room.

_Tick_

Honey's wedding was soon. Sophie should make her a present.

_Tick_

That cookie Martha had given her yesterday was surprisingly good. Sophie had forgotten her old sweet tooth.

_Tick_

Sophie glanced at the clock in annoyance now. The face of the clock stared back balefully. Really, it _was_ closing time. So why didn't she get up and lock the front door?

Because…

…she remembered his words.

'**Please Wait for Me**

**On the Fifth Day…'**

Of course she would wait, even if it kept on hurting her inside like this.

Sophie stared glumly at the ticking second hand of the clock. Did he mean that he would show up today? Why wasn't he here yet?

She felt her eyes sting, and the threat of tears tugging on the corners of her eyes. Sophie rubbed them furiously.

**Wait for Me**

Sophie gave in and let the solitary tear trickle down. She let go of the velvet material in her hand and placed it by the crimson hat.

**Wait for Me**

The seconds ticked on by.

**Because if you want him**

Sophie felt an unsettling, niggling sensation fill the room. She stared around in bewilderment.

This _feeling_ was so familiar.

She didn't even have time to blink.

**He'll be there. Promise. **

Sophie _stared_.

He seemed to have just materialized in the middle of the room. After a second of haziness, his image became heartbreakingly real.

**Promise**.

He was in a plain, clean white chemise with billowing sleeves. It contrasted with the dark pants. Inky raven hair fell in a gracious style on his shoulders, but Sophie could still tell it was him.

He really wasn't that different.

In the end, he still made her want to cry, whether from happiness or sorrow.

**Do you really promise? **

"Ah! So I finally plucked up enough courage to come!" Howl remarked.

He looked around at the hat shop interior with an almost mildly astonished air, acting as if it wasn't _his_ doing that he was currently inside.

Looking up, he caught Sophie's eyes, and his ice blue gaze intensified, magnified; a miniature storm was brewing inside those orbs. Sophie felt herself being swallowed up…deeper, deeper.

"Hello, Sophie," he said dryly, mouth etched in a tight half-grimace. "Isn't it time to close shop?"

Sophie felt her innards being ripped to shreds, her heart pounding so hard, she felt deaf to everything else except for the insistent beating inside and the sound of _his_ voice. She wanted to scream at him, curse, slap him and hurt him like he'd mistakenly hurt her. Why wasn't he smiling warmly at her now? Why wasn't he groveling and asking her to welcome him back with open arms? He was just standing there… just standing there and—and, staring at her with that guarded gaze.

Yet Sophie could do nothing but stare back.

**--END DAY 5 **


	8. Day Six: Heartless Love

**Disclaimer- I write disclaimers, so you don't sue! **

**Suzu- Ne, I can't believe we're on Day 6 already. And yet, I can believe it…since I haven't updated recently…errr…yeah…sorry. I haven't been much into Howl's Moving Castle lately, what with life rushing on and such… and so the characters and diction might have been a bit off in the last chapter. **

**Aah, SORRY! But really… this is a mini-fic written in my free time, posted online, and for those seeking alternative reading supplements (or just amusement) from the 'net. In no way is it my best work, and while I do try to make it fun to read, bear with me at certain time. **

**If anyone who read this happened to smile and have a good feeling at any time while scrolling through, I feel my role as a novice; free-time writer is complete. Thank you very, very much. The upcoming chapters might get angsty, or strange…who knows? It's a thrill ride. **

**Thanks for all the support. I'll keep doing my thing, since I'm so obviously enthralled with Howl's character… and I hope you all keep reading, enjoying, and commenting. **

**This is the sixth day, and I present it to you guys with tons of love on my part. Well…it's mostly the sixth day. It feels like I'm writing an emo ballad…XD. **

**Special SURVEY at author's note on the bottom. Happy reading! **

**Seven Days**

**Day 6**

**In Which Sophie Tries to Catch the Wind**

_The more I love you, the more you flee from me, my darling C. Baudelaire_

…………………………………………

She didn't even have time to blink.

Sophie _stared_.

He seemed to have just materialized in the middle of the room. After a second of haziness, his image became heartbreakingly real.

He was in a plain, clean white chemise with billowing sleeves. It contrasted with the dark pants. Inky raven hair fell in a gracious style on his shoulders, but Sophie could still tell it was him.

He really wasn't that different.

In the end, he still made her want to cry, whether from happiness or sorrow.

"Ah! So I finally plucked up enough courage to come!" Howl remarked.

He looked around at the hat shop interior with an almost mildly astonished air, acting as if it wasn't _his_ doing that he was currently inside.

Looking up, he caught Sophie's eyes, and his ice blue gaze intensified, magnified; a miniature storm was brewing inside those orbs. Sophie felt herself being swallowed up…deeper, deeper.

"Hello, Sophie," he said dryly, mouth etched in a tight half-grimace. "Isn't it time to close shop?"

Sophie felt her innards being shredded, her heart pounding so hard, she felt deaf to everything else except for the insistent beating inside and the sound of _his_ voice.

She wanted to scream at him, curse, slap him and hurt him like he'd mistakenly hurt her. Why wasn't he smiling warmly at her now? Why wasn't he groveling and asking her to welcome him back with open arms? He was just standing there… just standing there and—and, staring at her with that guarded gaze.

Yet Sophie could do nothing but stare back.

……………………………………..

He caught her accusing look.

It was befitting, really, he admitted to himself. Howl had promised himself he'd go into the situation nonplussed.

Too bad.

Just the intensity of the ginger-haired girl's stair should have sent any fellow quaking in his boots. But you see…Howl wasn't wearing boots. They went horribly with his black pants, anyways.

He tried to force words out of his mouth. Usually, Howl always knew what to say…but there really wasn't anything_ to_ say in this position.

'I'm sorry.'

'We can still work this out'

'I'm _really_ sorry'

'I had to take a rain check.'

'But honey…I thought you _knew_ already!'

Howl grimaced at the phrases that flitted through his head. He would have said one of them, but the look in Sophie's eyes paralyzed him, told him all that fluff wasn't good enough…not nearly good enough to make her forgive him.

It was too bad he had a promise to keep. Otherwise, Howl really didn't know what was keeping him there. You know…maybe it was… no, absolutely not.

It just wasn't possible. Howl laughed a little inside at the utter ridiculousness of his last thought. He'd been a little self-conscious about it for awhile, but it had been easy to cope. It always was. Correction: It always is and always will be.

He could like, yes…that was always an option. Of course, others always insisted that it just wasn't the _same_.

Should he care? He had no heart to love with.

Although Howl did look back at Sophie's smoldering eyes and wince.

…………………………………………………………

Sophie tried hard to control the torrent of emotion that came barreling out from seemingly nowhere only a second ago. She felt giddy on this feeling, positively sick.

After rasping for a few more seconds, she gained control of her voice. It was only a matter of time before everything would sort itself out, she told herself. Everything would be fine. Howl would explain. This wizard, this man…this…this enigma was no more, nor less human than she was.

Was he?

"Was anything you told me not a lie?" Sophie whispered. No doubt a wizard would hear her anyways.

Howl's eyes softened, but he didn't respond.

She knew why her chest felt so heavy now, why the room seemed to be spinning. This was what it felt like to be on the verge of tears, as they say. The loud banging in her breast was omnipresent, clanging with insistency in her ears.

She tried to laugh…to laugh at herself, to laugh at the impossible position she had gotten entangled into.

"Hah ha…" it trailed off pathetically.

To Sophie's surprise, she saw Howl's mouth quirk at the end, a subtle sign of a half-smile. Her heart froze, and the banging in her ears stopped. Instead, a cold sensation like a viscous, rushing fluid plugged her eardrums.

No…

_No._

This wasn't how true love was supposed to be.

She felt her eyes squeeze shut, and a tear wobbled on the corner of her eye. _Don't cry_…she chided herself.

"It's an awful feeling, isn't it?"

Sophie was surprised her ears could still pick up the sound of his voice so well. She looked up at his fine raven hair and silent blue eyes.

"…Huh?" she chocked on the syllable, and sniffed pitifully.

"You know… uhh… _love_." Howl said the last word meaningfully, and looked straight at her, as if willing her to understand the inconceivable.

Sophie plunked down on the carpet, unable to feel the soft threads and woven strands beneath her. Her knees didn't feel like jelly or anything like that… in fact, it was like her whole body was made of hard bricks.

"What do you mean?" The question seemed to echo hollowly as if in a cold, empty room.

Howl looked a little at a loss for words for a second or so, before breaking into another one of his priceless, painfully radiant smiles. It was all white teeth and sparkles, and nearly made Sophie go blind.

"Sophie--You hate me right now, don't you?"

Sophie swallowed hard. How was she supposed to respond? These questions were too straightforward, too intimate for two strangers…if that was what they really were. Sophie bit her lip, and felt the rushing emotions that could only be interpreted as sheer anger.

"Yes."

Yes.

Of course I hate you.

What else could this dull, angry thudding in my chest mean?

Sophie was slightly shocked to see the expression on Howl's face when she said yes. It looked like surprise, even a little bitter…but his expression guardedly went blank a second after.

It seemed like he just teleported himself over to the spot near where she was sprawled on her knees on the carpet. Maybe Howl was just trying to remind her that he was a wizard, all-powerful…so far above her in status it didn't matter if she cursed his name or loved him with a consuming frenzy.

He leaned down, bending his knees and rocking on his heel until they were nearly eye level. At this range, Howl's eyes were a piercing, forebodingly bright aquamarine. Sophie fought to not blink her tearstained eyes.

"It's better that way," Howl whispered softly, smiling vaguely.

He reached out a hand as if to pat her on the head like a little child, for that was probably what she was, with her ill-conceived notions of happily-ever-after and prince charming.

Instead, his hand loomed before her eyes. Darkness enveloped Sophie in an instant, and she grew terrified.

'_What the…'_

_&&&_

It was like she was instantly transported to a flat, two-dimensional world. She looked around to see the bright willow trees that normally dotted the town's edges, only they were slightly, in a barely distinguishable way, dulled.

The countryside had a soft, perfumed smell. The trees waved in a fair breeze, and Sophie was astonished and embarrassed to see a peek of two lovers entangled in a passionate embrace beyond the branches of several other curtain-y willow trees.

She realized where this was now… but when was it? What was she doing here?

Her eyes riveted almost of their own accord to a figure standing a foot away. It was a young girl with coquettish features and striking green eyes that batted demurely at… Sophie?

Blonde curls were swept in the back with a pretty paisley ribbon, and the girl had on a pale green frock that was pushed down on her shoulders immodestly. The girl spoke.

"Dear!"

Sophie looked on in horror as she realized that this girl was Georgina.

But who was Sophie? She felt that she couldn't turn her head of her own accord, or avert her gaze. Only her conscience was her own.

Sophie flushed as she felt the physical part of this masquerade body lean down and peck Georgina on the cheek. Georgina blushed a rosy red, too, and Sophie felt strangely sorry for her when she saw the feverish, love-struck glow in Georgina's eyes.

"Georgina," Sophie heard a voice say, and she knew it was coming from the body she was 'inhabiting'. "You're a nice girl."

The voice was distinctly male, and it sounded very familiar…but Sophie couldn't quite place it, as if she was magicked to forget the owner of the voice.

"Georgina, we've had lots of fun times together."

Georgina dimpled. Her soft locks before the crazy hairstyle framed an angelically round and heart-shaped face, and Sophie felt strangely envious as the girl's form loomed closer to cuddle.

Sophie felt herself step back. Whose body was this? Whose life was she experiencing?

A hand reached out to pat Georgina's head lovingly. Sophie stared with a mixture of horror and surprise and realization as the truth dawned on her.

This unknown memory… it was Howl's. The voice belonged to Howl. Just one look at the ridiculously scalloped sleeves and sheer, embroidered fabric and she knew it was him—but what was she doing witnessing this event as if she were a specter inhabiting Howl's body? …With no control over any physical movements, to boot.

Howl's soft voice spoke again, calm as ever.

"I'm sorry."

"Eh?" Georgina stared, puzzled. "What for?"

"I didn't leave you much in this relationship, did I?"

Sophie could hear the rueful note in his voice.

Georgina was quick to recover her smile. "Nn-mm," she countered, shaking her head. "You're the best man who's ever treated me this way before. All the others… I could forget them in a heartbeat."

Sophie could almost feel the slow, lazy smile spread on Howl's face at that moment. She saw Georgina look at Howl's face with such determination to love: with such blind adoration that Sophie nearly gagged.

This was what she was like at first, too.

"Um… what are you thinking about?" Georgina asked, waking Sophie from her own thoughts at the moment.

Sophie looked on, ready to wince, as Howl's hand reached out and cradled Georgina's.

"Here. I know. I'll leave you one thing, out of pity," said Howl.

Sophie held her breath, if she had any physical breath at all in this state. She could see Georgina visibly tense, too, at his next words.

"Georgina, my name… my name is Howl."

It seemed almost that the very willows surrounding the scene waved a little in the breeze when the name was mentioned. It had the same sort of effect on the mesmerized girl under the tree.

Georgina's eyes grew round as saucers at this, and her pink lips formed an 'o' in shock. Sophie felt a little dully smug at this… she recognized the shock from her own experience.

"You're not _the_ Howl, are you?"

"… Did you ever find it odd that I never told you my name all the time we've seen each other, Georgina?"

Georgina flushed. She obviously had not thought about that. She looked up again. "You're avoiding the question," she pouted softly. "Are you Wizard Howl?"

Sophie could feel Howl's knowing smile.

………………………………………………………………..

Everything had blacked out again, as if time was fast forwarding to another moment by someone else's will.

Sophie trembled as she felt her eyes being forced open due to Howl's opening lids.

Reluctantly, Sophie surveyed in front of her, only to see an instantly recognizable face.

Lissy.

She was in the same stunning cream silk from that fateful Wednesday afternoon. The ruffles were pushed down daringly low on her bosom, and Lissy seemed to crane her neck as if to give Howl a better view. Sophie felt a queer sensation at the pit of her stomach. She couldn't believe this.

If this was indeed Wednesday, then it was almost three days ago. Were these Howl's memories? She was seeing things through his eyes, wasn't she? Sophie felt bewildered as the images rushed to her head. First…Georgina; Now…Lissy?

Lissy tugged on Howl's sleeve, and tried to tuck her head into the crook of Howl's neck. Sophie's vision unwillingly panned across Lissy's hair, her face, as Howl's vision must have panned days ago.

Howl shifted away, and Sophie almost felt her heart lift a little. For what real reason, she wasn't sure… but now, Lissy was trying fruitlessly to capture Howl's hand in her small ones. Lissy opened her mouth, as if to ask something daring, but closed it again.

At the same time, Sophie felt Howl's body shift away. He was always like this, Sophie thought. Once a girl was in love with him, he did everything so carefully that he was like the moon to reach, always seemingly an arm's length away.

Lissy was now beaming full force. Her eyes shone with an expression of rapture. Sophie could tell she was very much in love. Sophie held her breath as she watched events unfurl, powerless as she was to stop them.

"I know you have something to say to me, Lissy…"

Lissy's smile seemed to stretch from ear to ear. Her eyes were glazed over longingly, and Sophie was taken aback by the emotions stirring underneath them. How could Howl just look on this carelessly?

Sophie watched the girl in front of her tilt her head, close her eyes… Sophie saw the way Lissy's eyelashes fluttered shut with complete trust. If only she knew who Howl was, what he was rumored to do. This was too risqué: Sophie knew out of experience that Howl wouldn't feel a thing for her.

Suddenly, Sophie realized the full reason for the disheveled appearance of Lissy at the hat shop early on Thursday.

'No…' Sophie wanted to say. 'Lissy, don't let him kiss you.'

'It's not worth it.'

And yet, there was no denying that Sophie felt incredibly jealous, for the twinge in her chest was nearly stifling.

Lissy had tucked her hand at Howl's elbow, and was insistently pushing him forward. Sophie felt a surge off wretchedness engulf her as Lissy's head loomed closer and closer.

She knew it wasn't just Lissy who was leaning up when Sophie could pick out each individual chestnut hair.

Howl was leaning down as well.

Lissy's lips curved up sweetly, and she got ready to pucker. Sophie felt Howl's hand reach and support the side of Lissy's face as she got ready for the kiss.

_Time seemed to stand still for just a second. Was it mocking the situation?_

Howl's hand trailed away. Lissy's lashes fluttered impatiently, and finally parted.

Her eyes stared at Howl in confusion and devotion now. Sophie felt crushed by the weight of Lissy's stare on what should have been Howl's face.

"Sorry…"

Sophie knew Howl was going to say that.

But was he really sorry?

Lissy seemed to stagger back. "Why?" the girl choked on the word.

Howl's hand was on Lissy's wrist, trying to settle her. Tiny teardrops trailed down Lissy's rosy cheeks. Sophie was torn. Should she promote another's romance, when she so dearly wanted one of her own?

Yet, a wiser part of her knew Howl had done the right thing, as heartless as it seemed at the moment. It would be poison to humor the girl right now.

"Lissy." Howl's voice was deadpan calm. "I don't think you should be seeing me anymore. Don't come looking for me at the Hatter shop again."

Sophie felt the finality of the words, the command that would be broken the next day in Lissy's desperation, as Sophie's vision blurred.

Sophie Hatter welcomed the darkness, and hoped it would take her to a better time and place.

&&&

Sophie felt the softness of the rug first.

Next, she heard the soft rhythmic tick of the mantel piece clock.

In acquiescence, Sophie opened her eyes, and solemnly greeted the familiar settings of the hat shop.

To be here again… in the exact same spot… after what felt nearly as long as a lifetime. Sophie clutched at her knee. It was aching, for some reason, and Sophie recognized it as disuse. The numbness receded as she willed the blood to circulate in her conscious physical state again.

Someone was kneeling down next to her about a foot away. Sophie felt the soft, patient aura next to her. She didn't have to look up to know who it was, so she kept her head down.

"Howl."

"Sophie," he acknowledged in return.

"Glad to see you're awake," Howl said easily, the light vagueness in his voice. "That spell usually causes people to swoon for a while afterwards." He rose to his feet. Sophie's numb legs betrayed her. Instead, Sophie let her eyes follow his movements.

"Howl," she said. "Did you do all those things to save those girls, or to save yourself?"

His reply was swift and languid. "Probably myself."

Sophie didn't expect the disappointment to come at her so quickly.

"It was the smart thing to do," Sophie relented. Her lips felt dry. "But still, there were a lot more girls, weren't there? You just showed me the ones I knew. Was it to warn me? Are you trying to tell me to back off now, Howl? I didn't know you were that heartless."

Howl smiled that smile again.

"Sophie, I thought you knew. I don't have a heart."

He offered her a hand up from the carpet.

&

Sophie took it, and dragged herself up from what felt like an eternity of sleep. She looked up at Howl's face, so perfectly sculpted and yet so perfectly devoid of all character except charm that she felt her stomach twist uncomfortably.

"What time is it?" Sophie asked shakily. Her legs felt numb to the core.

Howl blinked. "Oh, good question. It is, in fact, Saturday."

Sophie stared at him, aghast. He didn't look to be lying, but then again, he never did. She turned to look out the windows, and sure enough, the night had passed and the sun was shining thinly through. It was a foggy, dreamy Saturday.

Sophie needed to get to work. Dizzy, and trying to ignore the pulsating beat in her head and in her chest, Sophie turned away from Howl to try and amble across the room and unlock the front door for customers.

She needed to get away from him… from Howl. He was like a drug… addicting. He seemed to give her all the will power in the world, the strength to preserve the shop, to keep her father's dream alive. And yet, in the same instant, he sapped away all her self-control. She was like a rag doll in his presence.

Sophie only got her head turned before she felt his loose grip on her thin wrist.

He spun her back to her original position, no, closer. Sophie felt shadowed by his taller frame, and she looked up, almost fearfully.

"It's okay… you don't have to help me anymore. It's alright," Sophie tried to say, but her eyes fixed on his pink lips, then on his shockingly blue eyes, in such close proximity, not more than two inches away, and words failed her. Howl seemed to lean down, teasing her.

She leaned up instinctively.

**Was this the kiss of the fairytale princess when her prince finally proposed?**

But Howl wasn't a prince…was he?

All thoughts stopped as the distance diminished between them.

Howl turned at the last second, and her mouth met the side of his face instead.

Sophie stood there numb…not sure if time had stilled for her or if she had died in time. Finally, she realized Howl's lips, a few centimeters away, were moving, that he was murmuring something close to her ear. She remained frozen in place, her face a hairs breadth away.

Sophie knew she was most definitely drugged, and what little control she had was drowned out by his presence, and by the whirl in her head that seemed to surround her. She was in the eye of a hurricane.

**They say his heart hasn't matured yet. **

"_Sophie, listen. I'm not a marrying man,_" Howl whispered insistently, fiercely, into her ear.

With that, before Sophie had a chance to pull away or react, Howl Jenkins guided her chin smoothly with the tips of his fingers tracing butterfly light touches on her jaw line. He turned her face so that they met mouth to mouth, his lips pressed firmly on hers.

**But I'm not so sure anymore. **

Howl kissed her, this time with a strange pounding in his chest that mirrored Sophie's.

_Il cuore ha le sue ragioni che la rogione non conasce. –B. Pascal_

_The heart has its reasons which reason does not know. _

…. End Day 6

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

**Suzu- The angst…ugh. **

**This is Day 6 because by the time Sophie had experienced all the memories through Howl's eyes, and then returned to the present, the new day had broken. We'll say it's a really long spell. **

**Please read and review. **

**SURVEY NOTE: And for this chapter, let's conduct a poll. In your review, if you could, please tell me if, as a reader, you prefer happy endings or sad endings. Every vote counts!**

**C u all soon, I hope!**


	9. Day Seven: Another Day

**Disclaimer- All I claim is the plot of this story and the insignificant side characters. For every thing else, there's MasterCard. **

**Suzu- Well, here's Day 7. I tried to make it as long as befitting for you guys. I must commend everyone on their creativity in predictions for the end of the story. Some of you hit the nail in the head (close enough to make it hurt, anyway). Very, very nice! Sometimes, I think you guys should just write the story (lol). **

**So, what kind of ending will it be?**

**Read to find out. **

**NOTE: there will be some things left a little vague, but the story is a mix of magic and emotion and psychiatrics… so use your imagination a little, 'kay? Also, try to keep up with the turn and shift of perspectives. **

**My father has the same initials as Howl (gasp).**

* * *

**Seven Days**

**Day 7**

**In Which there is Another Day**

****

* * *

****

……………………… Flashback

"So, have you ever really liked someone?" she asked him that one time.

He laughed softly. "Of course."

"No, hon. You're misunderstanding, like usual." She tipped back the lip of the wineglass, admiring the red velvet quality of the liquid inside. "I mean: have you ever _loved_ someone?"

He looked briefly puzzled, before rubbing the side of his clean shaven face ruefully. "Probably not..."

She smiled at him then, a genuine smile of two old comrades who had nothing more to share, nothing more to lose.

"Hon, I can't keep doing this. As much as I love you, I've got my life ahead of me, too."

The man seemed a little surprised, and then sat back again as his face settled. "Oh?"

She showed him her hand then. Slipping off the silky kid gloves, the woman let him inspect the perfect sheen of each fingernail until his eyes traveled up the length of her ring finger to see the jewel resting there, weighing down heavily.

He whistled appreciatively. "Nice catch," he said.

She was silent then. The pale moonlight streaming into the chateau made her look appealingly melancholy. A sort of bitterness seemed to have fallen on her strikingly beautiful features, marring them, making them look older, until she sighed and seemed resigned to life again.

The woman carefully slipped the glove back on, and reached across the table to put her petite hand on his.

"I was afraid you were going to say that," she admitted with a note of sorrow in her voice.

He waved away a blonde piece of hair that fell across his face, revealing the attractive blue of his eyes, the same eyes which had left the woman breathless for two years—still left her breathless.

"I really did love you," she continued softly. "And you didn't even tell me your name."

He looked at her in that usual way of his, mysterious, and drawn back whenever a serious topic came up.

She continued more strongly now. "The Duke is nothing like you, I have to admit. I don't even love him."

He chuckled. "Isn't life always like that…"

She laughed softly, too. "Well, he is rich, and that always helps." He grinned back.

Her lips trembled. "Oh hon, you're younger than me, but I can't keep this going forever, or my estates will shrivel up and I'll be left an old maid!"

He nodded sympathetically. "True, true… and with me not a marrying man..."

She smiled. "I thought I could change you at first."

He smiled back at her in a friendly manner. "Izzy, I think these two years, I've come to understand you better than anyone else. Be happy."

She giggled: a sort of tremolo bordering between sad and joyous. "You're the only one still calling me that. I'm thirty-two for heaven's sake!"

"And still beautiful," he added.

"Well, or so they say," she admitted. The woman took another sip of her drink, and set it back on the white, lacy tablecloth with a dull thud. She looked at the star filled sky, and sighed again.

"My childhood days are coming to a close. My engagement is being announced tomorrow at a formal reception." She looked back at him, at his calm, smooth face, and the gentle twinkle in his eyes that looked like glass marbles.

"Honey, I tried," she whispered hoarsely. "But I'm at the end of my rope. It's time to move on."

He scooted his chair back, taking his cue to leave without protest. But her arm reached out to catch him.

She looked into his face, her eyes desperately searching for any signs, any at all, that she had been wrong. That he really loved her after all! Maybe…if he did…oh, if he did, she'd call off the engagement like that!

The young man cocked his head to one side, looking dashingly rogue-ish. He seemed not to notice her fervor, or not to care.

"Pray tell, my good Duchess of Helm, what is wrong?" he joked.

Her heart fell.

He was always the same.

She smiled, finally. A smile full of happiness and relief and sadness and goodbyes.

"I'll probably always love you," she told him. "You should try hard to love some day, too. It's a wonderful feeling, hon. You're really missing out on all this shit, you know?"

"I know," he said good-naturedly.

"You liar," she chuckled softly after the young wizard had magicked himself out of her room and out of her life, leaving only the sheer draperies dancing at the sudden breeze.

……………………………………… End

"_I really did love you."_

"_Darling, I love you."_

"_I love you so much."_

"_I love you more than life itself."_

"_Please, I love you!"_

Howl had heard them all.

Every single confession; in the end, all the girls had become desperate, desperate to hold onto either him or their silly little illusion of true love.

He hadn't cared which one it really was.

Howl had spurned them all,

Not out of spite or animosity.

Rather, he just didn't love them back.

Not a single true kiss on the lips had he offered.

So what has he doing kissing this meek little hat shop girl now?

Really, Howl had no idea.

Sophie… she hadn't even said she loved him yet.

…………………………………………………………

_Love is like an addiction—you never know what you see in it until you can't stop anyways. _

_I don't see anything fun about that._

…………………………………………………………

Sophie would have liked to savor her first kiss. She would have swooned, if Honey had ever bothered how to teach her to swoon like a proper lady. The neighboring girls all swooned with practiced ease, although the corsets they wore didn't hurt to ease the act along. However, being Sophie, others teased that she was far too practical for such an act.

Sophie wanted to feel euphoria on her first kiss, too.

They all said love was the most wonderful thing in the world. When a man she desperately liked kissed her, Sophie's mind was supposed to send her into a limitless state of perfect bliss.

Heavenly, platonic, the trumpets that would herald the nuptials.

She felt his mouth move over hers, playing lightly as he brushed the swell of her lower lip.

No…

Sophie Hatter wanted to cry.

………………………………………………………….

Lissy sat by the window, pushing the drapes aside to let the warm yet clouded midday sun baste her piercingly clear skin. Normally, Lissy would be out on Market Square, waiting for beaus to call on her.

But she just didn't feel like it anymore.

Lissy sat in a low rocker chair as she dug her feet into the soft rug beneath her. The thick, fluffy threads were warm and insulated the floor. With her thin stockings on, Lissy could pad in convenience throughout her room. _Her room_, so full of jewelry and perfumes, as well as other maidenly delights, could hold no interest for her. Instead, she took solace in the double windows that let soft milky light in upon the white carpet, dappling it.

When the housemaid had inquired as to why her young miss hadn't the will to go out, Lissy excused herself by commenting on the rather poor weather. It was true—the fog outside had dispersed, showing the gray, clouded sky.

Normally, that wouldn't have stopped Lissy from seeking the usual male attentions inside the Cesari family café, but the maid didn't need to know.

No one needed to know the real reason, really.

As Lissy stared out at the covered sky that foretold rain, she felt the weight of life on her shoulders for the first time. It was a hard burden to bear: being a woman, being a _human_.

Others seemed to manage.

The Hatter girl did. Lissy gritted her teeth at the thought. Subconsciously, she had placed Sophie in the same social slot as her now, whereas before, Lissy had viewed herself as far superior. But to be truthful, Sophie wasn't that ugly, and she wasn't that simple.

Besides being scrupulously diligent and no fun at all, there was no blame to put.

The door was swung partially open as the housemaid stepped in again with barely a sound. Lissy continued to stare out the window.

"Miss, your guests are here."

Lissy's eyebrow shot up. "Guests?"

Lissy's maid shifted uneasily, fidgeting with her starched crisp white apron, and finally moved back as if to let someone else inside Lissy's chamber. Lissy nearly clutched her chair to stop from falling out of it in surprise.

"Melissa, Gwen?"

The two girls nodded back meekly in return.

………………………………………………….

Sophie pushed him away.

The recoil made her already jelly knees buckle, and she fell onto the carpet with a thump, next to a pile of unfinished spring hats, her temples pounding furiously.

'_No… why did he have to do that…'_

Howl, in turn, had a hand over the left side of his chest. He felt the rhythmic beating of an internal timer inside, and was shocked when he figured out exactly what it could be.

Howl looked at the young woman on the floor. He placed his hand back on the spot over his heart.

His _heart_.

"What did you do to me?" Howl whispered.

…………………………………………………..

Georgina had somehow wandered back into the town's most successful bar.

The whole atmosphere was dank and rather dusty, but the collective pool of body heat and fiery liquor kept the place upbeat in a languid sort of way even on a cool day like this one. Georgina walked under the ever-swinging ceiling lamp and made her way quietly to a barstool. The worn leather was enveloped by her numerous petticoats as Georgina looked around the familiar place in slight nostalgia.

However, this time, instead of letting all the men there fondle her, she had slipped a few dollars to the bartender and asked him if she could speak to the owner of the bar and ask him for work.

Georgina, after doing some figuring in her head, thought that she might as well spend her time at the bar singing sad songs or doing some waitressing if she was to stay there at all.

Some of the people in the bar were quite nice, in fact.

Georgina smiled at some of the usual customers she knew. She waved at the old man in the corner who smiled with crooked teeth.

A few nervous minutes passed. The footsteps of the owner came down the stairs. The fidgety little man rubbed his beard nervously when he saw Georgina. No doubt he remembered all the past instances.

"Oh, it's ye. Err…Well, we do need some 'elp these days. But girl, know that I don't want ye doin' some mighty uuh…_unproductive_ things that migh' bring a bad name to meh bar."

Georgina blinked at him innocently. "I just want to be a waitress and earn some money. You can start by paying me less if you want, and increase the pay if I do a good job."

There…nice and clear. Just as Georgina had rehearsed in her room.

The owner rubbed his beard again. "Well… if ye promise. I can't stop ye… an' ye sing mighty nice, too. Ye got the job."

……………………………………………………

Sophie looked at Howl with wide eyes, the stormy grays standing out on her sheet white face.

"What do you mean?"

Howl's blue eyes seemed feverish as his hand brushed over the thumping of his heart again. There was no mistaking it. Though the noise had died down, the rhythmic beating was still consistent and delicate through the skin and bone and tissue.

"I heard it."

Sophie was confused. She was scared, too. Scared of what Howl might do to her with that unusual look on his face, scared of what she herself might do in a situation like this that would make her subservient to him all her life.

"Heard what?"

Howl looked at her with a strange look in his eyes, like he was seeing her for the first time. Outside, the weather had turned, as if to match with the turmoil he was feeling inside. He saw the way the soft droplets of rain that now pounded and then stuck on the large display windows at the front of the store cast shadows on Sophie's white face.

The shadows of rain looked like tears.

Howl pointed to the left side of the center of his chest to indicate what he meant.

Sophie understood what Howl meant before he said the word a second later with an incredulous tone to his voice.

……………………………………………………

Georgina sat next to Tom, a regular customer, at the end of the bar table. He laughed good naturedly when she told him she was going straight from now on, and would be at the bar to make sure he didn't drink more than was good for his health.

"Gina, mah girl. What caused dis change?"

Georgina sighed happily next to the old man with the rugged shave. Her own youthful figure and gleaming tresses tied in a neat ponytail contrasted with the atmosphere.

"You see, Tom. I met this young man a while ago."

Tom growled. "He done anythin' to yah, Gina? I'll fix 'em if yah like."

Georgina shook her head. "No, he was wonderful. A little hard to understand, but still wonderful. You see, Tom, I'd nearly forgotten all about our last conversation until a had this strange dream where I met him again at the town's hat shop."

Tom looked a little befuddled.

Georgina continued. "Strangely enough, the hat shop's keeper came to my house the next day, and asked me questions about the young man. It was so strange, I tell you!"

"But you know, Tom… I've been thinking… and that hat shop girl, Sophie, I think---she made me remember the conversation I had with the young man before I never saw him again. That made me change, you see."

Tom was curious now. "Wha'd he say to yah?"

Georgina smiled slowly.

"He said I was a nice girl."

…………………………………………………….

Sophie refused to meet Howl's eyes. She was still on the floor, while he was standing above her. She had no clue as to what expression his face would be wearing when she looked up, so she simply didn't.

"A heart," she repeated dully.

Howl bit his lip and his forehead creased in an almost childlike manner: the expression of a little boy lost and slightly unwilling to ask for help over his confusion. Sophie wouldn't look at him. Instead, her eyes were fixated on the patch of carpet in front of his shoes, and all he could see was the fair strands of hair that fell forward.

Howl looked thoughtful. In fact, he was eager to confirm what the insistent drumming of his so-called heart meant.

"Sophie… look at me," he said impatiently. His magic was embedded into those words. Normally, Howl would have felt a little ashamed over exploiting his power in such a direct way, but blood was rushing to his ears, a sensation he'd never felt before.

It seemed this whole scene was playing before him with no pauses or breaths to spare. He needed an answer.

He'd been waiting for years, dammit.

He needed the answer now.

_Am I really so fickle a person?_

_You all accuse me of such because…in reality, you're all the most fickle ones out there. _

Sophie felt the power embedded into his command. It wasn't seductive and attracting her like all the other slight hints of magic that was so Howl's forte. Rather, Sophie thought it was the plea of a man at the end of his rope, with nothing else to offer but the core of his reserve of raw talent.

Howl had a lot of raw talent. Sophie knew it, and she felt herself level to his imploring face.

You could almost call it heartbreak. The expression on Howl's face was that of utter confusion, mixed with anger and impatience. Sophie felt she should reach out and help him, but she also felt that if she did anything other than what he commanded at this moment, the consequences would be dire.

Howl… this isn't you, is it?

Howl could almost no longer feel the drumming of a heartbeat. Frantic, he remembered all the girls whose hearts had leapt so high he could even hear them when he'd wooed them. Sophie had no idea what he desperately needed right now. It was as if something inside of him was screaming to be released when Howl knew that if he did as it beseeched, he would be the most vulnerable person in the world.

"Sophie…" he whispered. "Come here."

The girl started up and walked towards him immediately, as he knew the magic would lead her. Only the look of scorn on her face could have betrayed her true will.

"Is this what you call having a heart? You were better without one."

The words hurt, and Howl felt an answering twitch from the leftish center of his chest.

Oh well…

Sophie really was quite defiant on the inside. He couldn't help but feel an inkling of admiration.

Howl could feel his heart speeding up slowly as she came nearer. Her slight feminine form was partially covered under the plain dress she always wore, but it didn't matter.

"Sophie, kiss me."

Her stormy eyes widened to their full extent. Howl knew this must hurt for her too. Somehow, he felt an answering tearing anguish in himself. His concentration on the spell wavered, and he wondered what her reaction would be now. It was win or lose.

He had thought a heart brought only joy; not sadness.

Sophie, meanwhile, could tell his last statement had no magic laced into it. She felt herself near livid at what he asked. Before this chance was over… she could feel her pent up frustration at her fingertips.

Sophie caught the look of utter loneliness on Howl's face as her hand rose up.

It's okay… she thought. He was nothing more than a child throwing a tantrum.

Sophie had to knock some sense into him while she still had the chance.

**Whatever you may feel right now, Howl-**

The resounding sound from the slap was deafening.

**I just want you to know that it's better **

His own hand flew up to touch the throbbing on his cheek.

**Than feeling nothing at all. **

Sophie felt she should have swooned after she had slapped Howl—but it really was too bad since she had no clue how to swoon.

The rain just kept on falling.

…………………………………………………….

Lissy explained patiently to Mel and Gwen. As she looked out at the drenched cobblestones, she congratulated herself on a successful forecast of the weather.

"I guess it was just time to stop fooling myself."

Mel shook her head slowly. "Lissy… we all thought you would be the one marrying the rich and fabulously good looking newcomer in town. Isn't that what you always said you would do when we were in grade school?"

Lissy turned her large eyes on Mel and Gwen.

"I guess I just wanted someone to love me," she said softly.

"He didn't?" Gwen inquired.

Lissy let silence answer.

"I thought you said he was perfect… and that you were going to nab him for yourself," Mel argued.

"I was wrong about all of that."

"What about that fancy dress you ordered? All that preparation for nothing?"

Lissy eyes were downcast. She fingered a lock of her own hair, looking past the luster and shine and conditioning. It just didn't work on that guy.

"You know, Mel… Sometimes I think girls can't be wholly dependent on guys for happiness."

…………………………………………………….

All the anger and suppressed selfish desires Sophie had bottled up inside channeled out towards one specific purpose. She didn't want to be practical. Heck…Sophie didn't want to be the eldest of three either. It wasn't her fault that she was nice enough to not turn Howl over to the police the first time she saw him.

_What I want… has nothing to do with what others want. _

It was her moment of selfishness. She felt unstoppable, like nothing could have more importance than this moment of thinking for herself.

Howl's serious expression had deteriorated to a child's wonder and awe at the slight reddening on his cheek. It faded away quickly, but something within seemed jump alive at her last action.

He felt almost ready to laugh, but the look on Sophie's face sent it bubbling back inside.

Sophie looked up at his taller stature, seething.

……………………………………………………...

The soft pattering of rain outside had kept all the people in the warm bar clustered inside the haven. Georgina finished the first round in carrying drinks around the noisy bar. When she reached Tom again, he had a question for her.

"Where'd yah think that young man is now?"

Georgina laughed. "He's probably trying to find the nicest girl of all."

…………………………………………………………

Mel was astonished. Gwen's mouth hung open. They were both surprised that Lissy had been rejected, moreover that Lissy would admit to it later.

"_Why_ did that dashing man reject you?" they gasped.

Lissy waved her hand dismissively, like she was over it. Her eyes wandered over the wet cobblestones outside again; she hoped the rain would let up soon.

"Don't you know? _Sophie Hatter_ loves him, too."

………………………………………………………..

"I hate you, Howl Jenkins," Sophie retorted.

The sound that greeted her ears after this was astounding.

Sophie couldn't quite make out what exactly it was, but she knew it was coming from Howl. His shoulders shook slightly as his perfect hair fell into his eyes and his hands reached up to wipe away a tear of mirth.

Was he laughing at her?

Sophie swiftly moved closer to snap back at him that he shouldn't take her statement so lightly. However, his hand quickly caught her wrist as soon as she was in close enough proximity.

Sophie was slightly scared; was he going to lure her back again?

The rain outside continued to pitter-patter against the windows. Sophie glanced at them nervously. She wanted to look anywhere—anywhere but at Howl, his face only a few inches away from her. Was he angry and thus laughing at her bitterly? Sophie was sure that the laughter she'd heard was that of clear and punctual amusement. If only she could make her head and heart believe what her ears heard.

Howl stopped laughing long enough to finally look into her eyes. What Sophie saw there didn't take her breathe away as much as the days before.

But when Sophie saw the very clear blue green of human eyes gleaming strangely at her, Sophie smiled shakily at Howl.

Howl smirked back, and he tugged at the wrist he was holding. Sophie swallowed nervously at the amount of physical strength he possessed, not just the strange pheromones she may have been caught with earlier.

But this was different. Sophie could fight back physical strength. She didn't, though, and let herself be pulled towards him. He didn't look lost anymore, and Sophie was surprised to feel the rhythmic thump-thump of something beating fast in his chest.

_You're okay now, aren't you?_

Howl tipped her chin back slightly to make Sophie's defiant eyes meet his. Sophie gasped at the proximity, but his other hand still had a firm grip on Sophie's wrist.

Through it all, Howl continued grinning at her in that absurd way of his.

Sophie knew she must be grinning grudgingly in a likewise fashion.

She wondered if this was it. She could leave Howl's embrace and he could in turn leave her life. Yet, she knew she was powerless to struggle against whatever feelings were bombarding her at the moment. The seconds ticked like minutes… or were they hours?

Finally, Howl spoke.

"Do you mind if I love you?"

The underlining statement was there for Sophie to reach out and grasp. _I'm willing to try and love you_, Howl had said. Sophie struggled against the insistent and tempting quality of that question. She flung his suggestion back at him as if it didn't matter.

"I don't _care_," Sophie declared with reckless abandon.

It felt good to voice her thoughts; to lash out once in a while. Sophie felt giddy, intoxicated on power.

Howl's expression clouded over briefly, and Sophie felt herself cheer in inward triumph. He couldn't be the only steering her this way and that.

However, a split second before Sophie could react, Howl dipped down to capture Sophie's mouth for the second time. She felt the softness of his hair on her skin. When she tried to struggle against him, Howl just leaned in more, and Sophie felt overwhelmed by the deep pleading she felt from his kiss.

It seared through her, and Sophie was shocked to find out that her knees had failed and Howl was currently holding her up by the waist.

Sophie felt her world swim in bright colors.

She felt Howl's lips move into a satisfied smile against hers.

When they both broke for air, Sophie gasped, eyes wide, as her heart raced inside her chest.

"Oh yes you do," Howl said leisurely, as if he had all the time and reason in the world.

Sophie tried to muster up a thought in her brain, to no avail. She couldn't think of anything by the moment Howl's lips had came in contact with her own.

"Do what?" Sophie murmured afterwards, feeling a little lightheaded.

"Care for me," he whispered back.

* * *

The romance of Sophie Hatter and Howl Jenkins was not ended in a mere week.

Howl left abruptly without Sophie quite remembering when, as she was accustomed to. She opened her eyes on a bright and cheerful Sunday. She was slightly surprised and smug when she heard clichéd birdsong in the few trees dotting the yard. The clouds outside her bedroom were extremely creamy and whipped; it would have been impossible for tourists to go sightseeing for the moving castle today.

Being Sophie, and quite practical, she wasted no time in getting dressed and rushing out to the early Sunday markets to make up for not getting out Saturday morning. There wasn't as much choice on Sunday, but afternoon sales on Sunday were good enough.

It would be a lie to say Sophie Hatter did not wonder where on earth the highlight of the last week had gone, but she didn't worry about him too much. She had herself to worry about. When Honey finally came back from Kingsbury, Sophie would present the hat shop to her stepmother with pride in knowing _she_ was the reason it had survived and would survive for the future.

Well… Sophie and one other person, to be exact, were the reasons.

When she got back to the hat shop, she found a very plain and ordinary note attached to the front door.

And as Sophie looked down the dusty cobbled street, she could pick out the individual heads of the people walking along. A few nodded to her in greeting.

Sophie thought she could pick out Howl's silhouette under the shining midday sun, where the clouds had parted enough to review shockingly blue sky, almost as blue as his eyes.

A breeze came by and swept up her hair.

He's laughing, Sophie thought.

Laughing at me; laughing at the world.

Because like the wind, Howl is finally free.

**Love is the strongest binding. **

Sophie glanced at the note in her hand.

**Love is also the ultimate freedom**.

It read.

_Wait for me another day, _

_ H. Jenkins_

The romance of Sophie Hatter and Howl Jenkins was not ended in a mere week, because we're all pretty sure no story could _ever_ pull that off.

--End Seven Days……………………………………………………………………..

* * *

**Suzu: The technical end to this mini-series. **

**Uuhhh… this chapter was a little disappointing, I know…but at least I got it up before Feb break was over. **

**This is the end of the Day Chapters. Are you guys happy it's ending? Disappointed? **

**I was going to make it sadder, but a lot of people had bad reactions to teary endings. The vagueness of it all was on purpose, I swear. **

**-_THERE ACTUALLY IS AN EPILOGUE. _**

**-Thank you for your time**

**-Ja ne, Suzu**


	10. Epilogue of Days

_On the first day, there was mystery _

_On the second day, there was attraction_

_On the third day, there was scandal_

_On the fourth day, there was doubt_

_On the fifth day, there were confessions_

_On the sixth day, the heartless loved_

_And on the seventh day…_

_There was simply another day._

* * *

_Here's to the epilogue of the days of our lives._

* * *

Dear Sophie Hatter, 

Please excuse my directness, but I've finally succumbed to the gnawing feeling inside me imploring to be let out and spoken to you in the form of this humble letter.

Sophie—you're probably about to explode at me again for the flowery language above. Sorry, I could not help it—just ignore it, then.

Actually, I'm writing to you because I thought it was a nice way to get in touch. You haven't seen or heard from me for a while, but I'm still thinking of you at the oddest moments. Strange, isn't it? Yes, you may laugh now.

The King contacted me a few weeks ago. He's always had his eye on me ever since I made seven league boots for one of his better known office generals who happened to show up in front of me and beg for a war device to spy on Ingary's neighbors. It's not natural for a grown man to beg, so I hastily magicked his pair of black (and impossibly unfashionable) military boots.

I'm too much of a softie with a heart.

Now I'm really doomed. The king has half of his air ships looking for the more mobile of my many homes (the moving castle; surely you've heard of it--where you live and all taken to mind). Now he might force me to become respectable and work for the government. It's bringing in surprising merits for me, as I've been able to buy a few more suits lately. And I don't want to hear you protesting about vanity, Ms. Practical-Gray-Dress (but soon to become Mrs. Jenkins). It's a touchy topic for me--my looks, that is. Uhh...

Speaking of the capital, when I was in Kingsbury, I attended a really rather grand wedding (more like, I looked on from some nearby location). I believe it was your stepmother's, since I saw you in the bridesmaids' line. It made my heart do something that I believe is close to _fluttering_ (it's been doing that recently. Is this healthy for normal humans?). I'm sorry for not paying my regards that day, but I believed you had enough excitement for that day.

Maybe I'm just a breaker of hearts that, nevertheless, helped the young women around towns and cities and countryside grow after they've had they experienced lost love. I hear the bad things in life are good fertilizer to grow. I've never been much into gardening, to be truthful, but the person who told me wasn't a gardener—so I guess it's okay.

Wait for me for _one _more day,

_Howl Jenkins_

P.S. The cake your stepfather bought for the wedding wasn't _that_ impressive.  
We can beat that at our wedding, right, Sophie?

P.S.S. If you happen to recieve a large parcel containing a scrumptious white dress shortly after this note, please refrain from giving it to anyone out of your goodheartedness. It's for you. And it can only be from me, with my good taste in attire and ready income with the King whispering about a royal wizard in my ear and all nowadays. Blast.

I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, or in person. I really get this horribly nauseating fluttering in this heart of mine as soon as I tried to tell you straight out my intentions!

P.S.S.S. Maybe I should mail these instead of sending them by transport spells. The respectable folk in Market Chipping are twittering, and I still want them at the wedding reception.

* * *

Author's Last Note:

* * *

Suzu: That's a wrap.

* * *

Note: There are thoughts about a sequel, titled 'Seven Nights'. If you thought seven days were hard to get through, Sophie is going to have trouble dealing with the seven nights. It will include more on the Moving Castle... possibly with a Calicifer, Markyl... and such. 

Although this idea is still premature, there might be a chance to write it in the future.

But that's a thought for another day.

Thank you all sincerely, and I hope you all leave your last comments/questions/concerns.

Give it up to the happy couple.


End file.
